An Effectiveness Modelling Approach for IoT-Based Smart Grids

1 Introduction

During the past decade, high-capacity and long-transmission power networks have been widely used to meet the growing demand for electricity in the past few decades (Sylla C, 2016; Dranka GG, 2020). There is a mentionable transformation in all segments of the power industry worldwide, from generation to supply. A power system that is more reliable, scalable, secure, interoperable, and manageable while being cost-effective (Bari, 2014) is required by modern society. In the vision of Horizon Europe 2021–2027 (Guo, 2016; Horizon Europe, 2019), the next-generation electric power system will be a “smart grid” (American Public Power Association, 2018), referring to a self-healing-capable grid (Massoud, 2014) that can provide reliable, energy-efficient, and quality power. The configuration of smart grids continues to evolve, as shown in Figure 1 (Fan, 2021).

Figure 1.

Evolution of smart grid (Elsevier, 2021)

Source: Elsevier, 2021

A smart grid can enhance the current grid system by renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, etc. (Espe, 2018; Tuballa, 2016). These new power generating systems can be smaller, more environmentally, and can be distributed around the load centres, to maintain the reliability of grids. More specifically, the benefits associated with the smart-grid include (but not limited):

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  More efficient transmission of electricity;

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  Quicker restoration of electricity after power disturbances;

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  Reduced operations and management costs for utilities, and ultimately lower power costs for consumers;

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  Reduced peak demand, which will also help lower electricity rates;

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  Increased integration of large-scale renewable energy systems;

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  Better integration of customer-owner power generation systems, including renewable energy systems;

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  Improved security.

These advantages benefit from the two-way flows of energy and real-time information, which offers tremendous benefits and flexibility to both users and energy providers. These characteristics are inline to the Internet of Things (IoT) domain. IoT is the communications paradigm that can provide the potential of ultimate communication. Its paradigm describes communication not only human to human but also machine to machine without the need of human interference. IoT-based smart grid will be one of the largest instantiations of the IoT in the next future. The effectiveness of IoT-based smart grid is mainly reflected in observability, controllability, real-time analysis, decision-making, and self-healing. A proper effectiveness modelling approach should be implemented to maintain the reliability and maintainability of IoT-based smart grid.

2 Iot-Based Smart Grid Architecture

Compared to classical power grid, the smart grid highly integrates information and communications technology on the whole energy chain (from producers to end-consumers), through the large-scale deployment of different kind of sensing, actuating and other embedded devices, in addition to the use of smart meters, smart appliances and e-cars, all of them sharing the capacities of computing and communication.

Generally, IoT-based smart grid is usually considered as a three-layer architecture (sensor layer, communication layer and application layer), as shown in Figure 2. The coupled three layers achieve the established functions, and maintain the reliability and maintainability of IoT-based smart grid. In this section, we firstly describe the architecture of IoT-based smart grid, and then discuss the advantages that IoT enabling technologies make the smart grid more powerful and intelligent.

Figure 2.

IoT-based smart grid architecture (Springer, 2018)

Source: Springer, 2018