Towards swarm optimization techniques for power communication systems and smart grid environments

MQRP: Mobile sinks-based QoS-aware data gathering protocol for wireless sensor networks-based smart grid applications in the context of industry 4.0-based on internet of things

Communication network requirements for major smart grid applications in HAN, NAN and WAN

Smart grid technologies and applications

A seamless, sustainable and reliable communication infrastructure is crucial to realise smart grid operations and functionalities. The communications infrastructure in smart grid is not only required to be pervasive, scalable, and secure but also expected to be resilient and guarantee a required Quality of Service (QoS) to an end node. Narrow band power line communications (NBPLC) is believed to be a natural and cost effective choice for smart grid communication because it uses the existing infrastructures of the power grid that is much more extensive and pervasive than any other wired or wireless alternatives. This also eliminates the need for additional wire installation and external subscription for data transfer. However, because most smart grid applications have critical timing requirements, the frequency and time varying characteristics of the power line channel together with its background noise, limited band width and harmonic interference results in unacceptable packet loss during service transmission. Communication solution with Reliable, timely delivery which supports a given QoS for smart grid applications with critical timing requirements will although challenging is highly desirable. This paper investigates the resilience and performance of time critical smart grid application data over power line channels; specifically DLC (Distribution Line Carrier). It was shown that employing RoHC compression scheme on smart grid application IP packets can maximise bandwidth usage and enhance low delay and latency on both uplinks and downlink in a DLC channel.

A survey on applications of Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers in smart power grids

Limited battery lifetime is one of the most critical issues for wireless sensor networks (WSNs)-based smart grid (SG) applications. Recently, ambient energy harvesting (AEH) has been considered to significantly improve the network lifetime of the WSNs-based SG applications. However, extracting a significant amount of energy from the ambient energy resource due to time varying links quality affected by power grid environments is the main issue for WSNs-based applications in SG. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-source energy harvesting mechanisms for WSNs-based SG applications. The propose hybrid ambient energy harvesting framework through the designed circuitry successfully harvests massive power density by capturing the radial electric field (EF) and ambient radio frequency WiFi 2.4GHz band signals present in the vicinity of 500kV power grid station. The design energy harvesting schemes have been implemented on the recently developed routing protocol for SG applications. The experiments using EstiNet9.0, demonstrate that the designed framework is efficient in terms of energy harvesting capabilities to enable a long-lasting lifetime of the WSNs-based smart grid applications.

A smart grid is an intelligent power grid. In recent years, the smart grid environment and its applications are incorporated into a variety of areas. The smart grid environment, however, can expose much more information than the old environments. In the environment, smart devices can be media in the exposure of various and specific pieces of information as well as energy consumption. This poses a huge risk in that it, combined with other pieces of information, may expose much more information. The current smart grid environment raises a need to develop anonymous signature and authentication techniques to prevent privacy breaches. Trying to meet this need, the principal investigator conducted research for three years. This paper discusses both the research trends investigated by him and the limitations of the development research and future research in need. Smart grid security requires the development of encrypted anonymous authentication that is applicable to power plant security, including nuclear power plants as well as expandable test beds.

Smart grid is an essential part of the world's changing energy landscape. The uptake of smart grid by utilities is however hampered by the perceived complexity and large capital investment required to implement resilient Information Communication Technology (ICT) and networks that can support self-healing smart grids. Furthermore, failure to meet stringent smart grid communication reliability requirements can have disastrous consequences for grid owners and users. Many of the challenges utilities face with their smart grid ICT network development plans can be attributed to a reliance on conventional designs centred on expanding network hardware infrastructure in vast grid networks. What is needed to overcome these challenges is alternative ways of designing smart grid communication networks, using software defined approaches. This paper proposes a framework that supports software defined designs by combining the principles of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication. Using the frameworks of software defined systems and virtualisation, our proposed architecture aims to provide a more flexible and affordable approach to developing and maintaining grid communication networks while offering a high level of network reliability, required for various smart grid applications. An evaluation of the implementation of this architecture in a design, based on a real city distribution grid, shows that a software defined communication network is easy to implement when using virtual machines running on existing computer infrastructure and that it is capable of supporting the network functions required for improving communication reliability. We conclude that this approach can potentially promote the adoption of smart grid by utilities while offering new innovative ways for smart grid developers to improve their grid designs.

Evolution of Communication Technologies for Smart Grid applications

The inclusion of renewable energy in the conventional grid system and the digitalization of the various aspects of the power system have precipitated the transformation of the traditional grid system to a smart grid. Key to the implementation of the smart grid is various communication technologies. The emerging dominance of communication technologies in power systems applications is pivotal to modernizing the conventional grid system. This research presented an overview of the application of communication technologies in the digitalization of the power systems network. It reviews smart grid communication technologies, their features, relevance, and various roles being played toward delivering an effective electrical service to stakeholders. Hence, this study focused on wireless and wired communication technologies applicable to smart grid applications. Based on the review, each communication technology has its strengths and weaknesses; hence in selecting the most appropriate technology for application in a smart grid, a compromise must be made. Therefore, for choosing the most preferred communication technology in any smart grid application, it is important to deploy the efficacy of multi-criteria methods. To serve as a case study, a framework for selecting a communication technology for advanced metering infrastructure is proposed and applied. Based on the spectrum, data rate, and coverage range, the study revealed that WiMAX communication technology is the most preferred, followed by Zigbee; the least preferred communication technology for smart grid communication is Power Line Communication (PLC).

The rapid development of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the deployment of advanced Internet of Things (IoT)-based devices has led to the study and implementation of edge computing technologies in smart grid (SG) systems. In addition, substantial work has been expended in the literature to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) techniques into edge computing, resulting in the promising concept of edge intelligence (EI). Consequently, in this article, we provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in terms of EI-based SG adoption from a range of angles, including architectures, computation offloading, and cybersecurity concerns. The basic objectives of this article are fourfold. To begin, we discuss EI and SGs separately. Then we highlight contemporary concepts closely related to edge computing, fundamental characteristics, and essential enabling technologies from an EI perspective. Additionally, we discuss how the use of AI has aided in optimizing the performance of edge computing. We have emphasized the important enabling technologies and applications of SGs from the perspective of EI-based SGs. Second, we explore both general edge computing and architectures based on EI from the perspective of SGs. Thirdly, two basic questions about computation offloading are discussed: what is computation offloading and why do we need it? Additionally, we divided the primary articles into two categories based on the number of users included in the model, either a single user or a multiple user instance. Finally, we review the cybersecurity threats with edge computing and the methods used to mitigate them in SGs. Therefore, this survey comes to the conclusion that most of the viable architectures for EI in smart grids often consist of three layers: device, edge, and cloud. In addition, it is crucial that computation offloading techniques must be framed as optimization problems and addressed effectively in order to increase system performance. This article typically intends to serve as a primer for emerging and interested scholars concerned with the study of EI in SGs.

Cloud computing has emerged as a new technological domain in the IT industry. Currently, several organizations working in various domains, such as healthcare, finance, manufacturing, smart grid, Internet of Things (IoT), and IT, are increasingly integrating cloud computing with their traditional applications. The key idea behind the usage of cloud computing in IoT is to increase efficiency without compromising the data quality. When it comes to collecting data of thousands or millions of servers, the cloud offers scalability and reduces the computational load on each sensor. The highly configured servers in the cloud are very useful in processing and analyzing the sensors’ data. The security of such a shared infrastructure is very crucial. It is the major barrier in the adoption of cloud-based services, followed by issues regarding compliance, privacy, and legal matters. The digitalization of critical infrastructures, such as smart grids (SGs), brings advantages and opportunities for remote access and control. It enables intelligent and online monitoring of these systems, which considerably enhances cyberattacks’ vulnerability. Cyberattacks are among the most important threats to SGs. Therefore, efficient control systems should be designed that can detect and isolate cyberattacks to keep the SG reliable and secure operation. This special section aims at providing a forum to discuss the most recent advances on security and privacy in cloud-assisted IoT and SG applications.

Lifetime maximization of IoT-enabled smart grid applications using error control strategies

In power system, only electric grid means to a vast and variable setup of electrical components that distribute electrical energy from the generating locations to the user end. The components are transmission buses, substations, feeder buses etc. The electric grid is deliberated to be a technological prodigy in handling so many generating units, high megawatts of generating capacity and several miles of transmission lines. However, in recent scenario the electricity disruption like a blackout is very common not in India but in advanced countries like United State of America. A grid would be more efficient when more resiliency is added into the existing electric network and made ready for diffident unavoidable tragedies and natural calamities. Therefore, if some extra powerful features are supplemented to the existing grid, then it becomes a smart grid. The extra powerful features can be advanced control techniques application in grid operation. This will make the existing grid network more efficient, faster in power transmission and self-repair after power disturbances, inexpensive, improved security etc. This chapter presents a discussion on the various challenges in execution of smart grid. After that, some of recent proposed control techniques designed and applied to handle those issues. Various control applications in smart grid are supplemented with appropriate test bench problem and experimental or simulation results.KeywordsSmart gridDefinitionEvolutionChallengesControl technologiesCommunication technologiesCommercial applications

Recent trends in the applications of batteries in the built environment are improving the efficiency of batteries and lowering costs. This paper introduces various types of battery technologies such as sodium sulfur, lithium ion, flow and lead acid batteries and discusses their models. Various applications of batteries such as adaptive battery systems, Battery Electrical Vehicles (BEVs), Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Smart Grid and Smart Environment applications are also discussed. In their selection and use of batteries, scholars are ultimately looking to maximize occupant comfort whilst keeping costs low and optimizing the energy efficiency of buildings. This paper will provide a review of current trends in this field.