Blockchain Technology Implementation in the Energy Sector: Comprehensive Literature Review and Mapping

Abstract

Satisfying the world’s rapidly increasing demands in energy via the optimized management of available resources is becoming one of the most important research trends worldwide. When it comes to energy, it is very important to talk about decentralization, security, traceability and transparency. Thus, over the last few years, numerous research works have presented blockchain technology as the best novel business platform enabling a secure, transparent and tamper-proof energy management solution. In this paper, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) using the PRISMA framework of the different existing research studies related to the use of the blockchain technology in the energy sector, published between 2008 and 2021. We identified a total of 769 primary studies after intensive manual analysis and filtering, which we thoroughly assessed using various criteria to address six main research questions that covered the blockchain types, applications and platforms in the energy sector, the energy source types for which blockchain platforms are implemented, the emergent technologies that are combined to blockchain solutions, and the types of consensuses used in energy blockchains. Based on the collected survey data, we built a database to categorize the existing research works, identify research trends, and highlight knowledge gaps and potential areas for additional field study.

Blockchain in the Energy Sector for SDG Achievement

“…The last platform quoted is implemented in Slovenia and is the smallest energy marketplace among those cited. An interesting result reported in a work by Khezami et al [15] concerns the blockchain platform used in the energy sector. Nearly 90% of the projects analyzed in the work just quoted use Ethereum, and 7% use Powerledger.…”

“…At the technical level, different technologies are used, starting with the choice of blockchain, where more scalable platforms with high throughput are being developed [25][26][27][28]. Despite this, however, Ethereum still maintains a monopoly on energyrelated projects [15]. Often, then, data management is realized through smart contracts that receive information from smart meters and then share it in the blockchain [68], while certification of production, possession, consumption, and emissions is realized through the issuance of tokens [58,60].…”

“…In [15], a systematic literature review (SLR) of the various existing studies related to the use of blockchain technology in the energy sector is provided. They analyze the types of blockchain applications and platforms in the energy sector, the types of energy sources for which blockchain platforms are implemented, emerging technologies that are being combined with blockchain solutions, and the types of consents used in energy blockchains.…”

Evaluating the Barriers to Blockchain Adoption in the Energy Sector: A Multicriteria Approach Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process for Group Decision Making

“…Previous studies, such as [47][48][49], have highlighted the variety of potential applications of blockchain technology in the energy sector. This review focused on the most recent publications (after 2017) and was based on databases such as ScienceDirect [24], Re-searchGate [25], Scopus [26], and IEEE Xplore [27].…”

The estimate of innovative development of construction industry in the Kazakhstan

“…To achieve the goal of this study, on the basis of a literary and technological review and generalizations of the results of the review, such studies as [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] in this paper, the specifics of the current situation in Kazakhstan in the context of industrial and innovative development of the production sectors of the national economy can be characterized by the following features:…”