Current and Future Communication Solutions for Smart Grids: A Review

Abstract

A smart grid provides a bidirectional flow of electricity and information whilst ensuring wellbalanced electricity supply and demand. The key enabler for the smart grid is its robust communication infrastructure. Choosing the best communication technology for the smart grid is crucial as it involves a mixture of critical and non-critical traffic. This study provides a comprehensive review on smart grid communication and its possible solutions for a reliable two-way communication toward supporting diversified power grid applications. Existing networking methods along with their advantages and weaknesses are highlighted for future research directions. The communication network architecture in the smart grid, with details on each networking technology, switching methods and medium for data communication, is critically reviewed to identify the existing research gaps. A discussion on issues and challenges encountered in smart grid communication for current implementation is highlighted together with the recommendations for further improvement. Overall, the highlighted issues and recommendations from this study are useful to researchers, technology providers and industries to develop new communication technologies for the smart grid that will provide reliable, robust, and suitable two-way communication in the future.

Partial-Failure Segregated Spectrum Assignment for Multicast Traffic in Flex-Grid Optical Networks

“…In recent years, the intensive growing demands for high-speed services have stimulated the application of wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology in optical networks, which were known as WDM optical networks [1]. By delivering services via their respective designated wavelengths employing arrayed waveguide grating (AWG), conventional WDM optical networks gained the characteristics of optical circuit switching technique, e.g., consistent bandwidth, order-guaranteed end-to-end delivery [2]. These characteristics were especially suitable for stable traffic requests, but lacked flexibility and intelligence when faced with bursty traffic requests [3].…”

DRTP: A Disruption Resilient Hop-by-Hop Transport Protocol for Synchrophasors Measurement in Electric Transmission Grids

“…However, the EEFR can be deteriorated by packet losses caused by disruptions on multiple links of the primary forwarding path (PP) in the network, e.g., up to 14% in Brazil [13]. The disruptions can be mainly caused by the following factors: (a) large-scale cascading failures on multiple power lines [14] of which each ground one usually encapsulates a communication link [15] [3] [16], (b) natural disasters on the link that extends over a large geographical area [14], and (c) network congestion [17].…”