What is Energy Internet? Concepts, Technologies, and Future Directions

Abstract

The climate change crisis, exacerbated by the global dependency of fossil fuels, has brought significant challenges. In the medium to long term, extensive renewable-energy-based electrification is considered to be one of the most promising development paths to address these challenges. However, this is tangible only if the energy infrastructure can accommodate renewable energy sources and distributed energy resources, such as batteries and heat pumps, without adversely affecting power grid operations. To realize renewable-energy-based electrification goals, a new concept-the Energy Internet (EI)-has been proposed, inspired by the most recent advances in information and telecommunication network technologies. Recently, many measures have also been taken to practically implement the EI. Although these EI models share many ideas, a definitive universal definition of the EI is yet to be agreed. Additionally, some studies have proposed protocols and architectures, but a generalized technological overview is still missing. An understanding of the technologies that underpin and encompass the current and future EI is very important to push toward a standardized version of the EI that will eventually make it easier to implement it across the world. In this paper, we first examine and analyze the typical popular definitions of the EI in scientific literature. Based on definitions, assumptions, scope, and application areas, the scientific literature is then classified into four different groups representing the way in which the papers have approached the EI. Then, we synthesize these definitions and concepts, and keeping in mind the future smart grid, we propose a new universal definition of the EI. We also identify the underlying key technologies for managing, coordinating, and controlling the multiple (distributed or not) subsystems with their own particular challenges. The survey concludes by highlighting the main challenges facing a future EI-based energy system and indicating core requirements in terms of system complexity, security, standardization, energy trading and business models and social acceptance.

Wind Power Accommodation Method for Regional Integrated Heat-Power System Considering Generation and Load Uncertainties

“…Marketization is one of the effective means to solve the problem of renewable energy accommodation including wind power in the future. At the same time, with the concept of energy Internet and integrated energy system [12], as well as a large number of energy conversion equipment such as combined heat and power (CHP) units and electric to gas equipment connected in different energy systems, the dependence between different energy systems is stronger. In this context, more and more scholars pay attention to promoting the accommodation of renewable energy such as wind power through the coordinated operation of different energy systems, which is worth studying.…”

Data-Driven Dynamical Control for Bottom-up Energy Internet System

“…Open and peer-to-peer energy supply and sharing are the main features of the EI. The integration of both information and energy is the key to achieving an information-led and highly controllable energy system [2], [3]. Through the combination of the Internet and renewable energy sources (RESs), the EI converts the centralized supply of energy into a distributed supply of energy; that is, each local area can make full use of its own solar power, wind power, natural gas, etc., such that the energy supply in each area is relatively independent.With the hope of acquiring an integration of distributed, intermittent and diversified energy supply and demand, this approach aims to construct a type of energy network in which RESs are efficiently utilized and the increasing energy demand is met, whereas the damage to the environment in the process of energy utilization is reduced [4].…”

A Comprehensive Review on Smart Grids: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Li et al [2] establish as motivation the satisfaction of demand with the maximum reliability and quality of service, with minimum economic and ecological costs, at the same time having maximum safety for both people and equipment used, and always keeping the voltage and frequency values within the permitted limits. However, because of the evolution of the electrical energy demand, the distribution companies make a huge effort for matching all the consumers' requirements for a modern electrical system demand of both in quantity and quality, due to the side effects of the COVID19 pandemic [3,4].…”

“…In this new context, the operation of distribution systems, depending in some countries on local government and others on private companies, is based on centralized procedures. According to Hussain et al [4], electrical systems tend to decentralize the decisions of distribution companies whose objectives are to maximize customer satisfaction. Therefore, gov-ernment or corporate distribution companies are exposed to greater risks provoked by the need to make decisions based on hybrid distribution models that are increasingly reliable.…”