Jose P. Martins, João C. Ferreira, Vítor Monteiro, José A. Afonso · 5 authors
In this research work, we apply the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm with a decentralized blockchain approach to handle the electric vehicle (EV) charging process in shared spaces, such as condominiums. A mobile app handles the user authentication mechanism to initiate the EV charging process, where a set of sensors are used for measuring energy consumption, and based on a microcontroller, establish data communication with the mobile app. A blockchain handles financial transitions, and this approach can be replicated to other EV charging scenarios, such as public charging systems in a city, where the mobile device provides an authentication mechanism. A user interface was developed to visualize transactions, gather users’ preferences, and handle power charging limitations due to the usage of a shared infrastructure. The developed approach was tested in a shared space with three EVs using a charging infrastructure for a period of 3.5 months.
Sustainability is a topic of increasing interest. The United Nations has released a list of 17 goals for sustainable development for the global community. Blockchain is a recent technological innovation that shows great promise in changing industries. In this paper, we look specifically at smart grids and supply chain management systems as areas where sustainable technological innovation can happen. To identify software engineering aspects of blockchain in smart grids and supply chain management, we start upon online libraries focusing on engineering and information technology, and we opted for the methodology of systematic mapping studies in software engineering. The search strategy identified 535 papers, of which 60 were identified as main studies for our mapping. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous similar studies exist. Results of the study show that the research connecting blockchain technology to smart grids and supply chain management systems is still young. None of the techniques or systems have yet been implemented in a real life setting. As such, more work has to be done before we can look at the actual implications of putting such technologies into use. Software engineering practices could prove to be very useful in the process of development. We propose that future studies can focus on bringing the technologies closer to real life implementations, as well as how to involve the end users in the development of the blockchain-based systems.
The circular economy (CE) is an emergent concept to rethink and redesign how our economy works. The concept recognizes effective and efficient economic functioning at multiple scales—governments and individuals, globally and locally; for businesses, large and small. CE represents a systemic shift that builds long-term resilience at multiple levels (macro, meso and micro); generating new business and economic opportunities while providing environmental and societal benefits. Blockchain, an emergent and critical technology, is introduced to the circular economy environment as a potential enabler for many circular economic principles. Blockchain technology supported information systems can improve circular economy performance at multiple levels. Product deletion, a neglected but critical effort in product management and product portfolio management, is utilized as an illustrative business scenario as to blockchain’s application in a circular economy research context. Product deletion, unlike product proliferation, has received minimal attention from both academics and practitioners. Product deletion decisions need to be evaluated and analyzed in the circular economy context. CE helps address risk aversion issues in product deletions such as inventory, waste and information management. This paper is the first to conceptualize the relationships amongst blockchain technology, product deletion and the circular economy. Many nuances of relationships are introduced in this study. Future evaluation and critical reflections are also presented with a need for a rigorous and robust research agenda to evaluate the multiple and complex relationships and interplay amongst technology, policy, commerce and the natural environment.
Blockchain technology is developing at a rapid pace. For consumers that are only interested in simplifying processes and reducing costs by using a blockchain solution a new problem has occurred. It is not only necessary to select the appropriate solution, but also to configure and operate considering blockchain interoperability with different chains. For the industry, there is a need for solutions based on open standards. This paper proposes a Policy-based Blockchain Agnostic Framework that not only connects different blockchains but also facilitates their configuration and operation. Moreover, a case study is presented considering the cold-chain supply-chain, where each actor defines its policies based on blockchain requirements.
Michel Zadé, Jonas Myklebost, Peter Tzscheutschler, Ulrich Wagner
\begin{abstract} When an author under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto published the paper `Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' in 2008, the first cryptocurrency using the new blockchain technology was introduced. Over the last decade, more than 1000 different cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin were developed and Bitcoin's currency had almost reached an equivalent value of \SI{20000}{\$\per BTC}. After recognizing the disrupting momentum that the blockchain technology generated, scientists started to develop blockchain use cases for the energy sector. However, the scientific literature so far offers only rough and incomplete estimations when questions about the current and future energy consumption of the Bitcoin network are raised. This paper introduces a new scenario model to estimate the mining power demand of the Bitcoin and Ethereum network. Six scenarios are developed on the basis of mining hardware efficiency and network parameter data. The results show that an increase of the mining hardware efficiency will only have a limited impact on the overall power demand of blockchain networks. Furthermore, the current power demand of the Ethereum network is in the range from \SIrange{0.6}{3}{\giga\watt} and therefore, is similar to the one of Bitcoin. In case of linear growth of the block difficulty and sigmoidal increase of the hardware efficiency until the year of 2025, the mining power demand for the Bitcoin blockchain will be approximately \SI{3}{\giga\watt}. Furthermore, the model and the scenarios are adaptable to other cryptocurrencies that use the proof-of-work consensus algorithm to create scenarios for their future power demand.
An increasing amount of use cases is discovered for blockchain technology, since it promises tamper-proof recording of product-related data. It has the potential to improve the reliability of information management for whole supply chains and thus enables new ecologically and economically service offerings. Integrating products and services into one marketable bundle is no new concept and is referred to as product-service systems (PSS). Therefore, the methodical integration of knowledge on sustainable businesses, PSS and blockchain is a promising approach to overcome current barriers to achieve an applicable circular economy. Our study contributes a structured literature review on ongoing research in the field of sustainability-focused blockchain applications. From this, we elaborate a holistic perspective by the integration of key concepts from two additional literature reviews for blockchain and PSS. Asa result, we point out potential benefits and present the effect of blockchain on sustainable PSS with a product-life cycle model.
Before the implementation of a solution, it is cost-efficient and practical to be able to evaluate and analyze the expected value of use cases. Especially, this is emphasized in blockchain (BC) use cases, which typically have a wide business ecosystem and possibly disruptive business models. This paper presents two BC use case value evaluations and results. The IoT use cases were selected from two different industry segments: telecommunications-oriented 5G network slice brokering and the energy industry-related internal electricity allocation in a housing society. The use case value was assessed by applying a resource configuration framework and 4C - commerce, context, content, and connection - business model typology against BC and smart contracts characteristics and capabilities. The results derived from the data collected from the expert workshops proved the expected value of the use cases, and in general, the feasibility of BC technology for facilitating various value-creating resource configuration processes was shown. Furthermore, the resource configuration framework proved to be a valuable theoretical approach for analyzing and developing also the BC-enabled novel use cases and business models. According to the findings, further development of the framework is proposed with an introduced novel decentralized resource configuration prototype that can replace predominant platform-based business models.
Jan 1, 2019·Proceedings of the ... Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences/Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Taneli Hukkinen, Juri Mattila, Kari Smolander, Timo Seppälä · 5 authors
In recent years, information systems have not been largely evaluated by their operating costs, but mainly by their strategic benefit and competitive advantage. As blockchain-based decentralized applications become more commonplace, representing a shift towards fully consumption-based distributed computing, a new mode of thinking is required of developers, with meticulous attention to computational resource efficiency. This study improves on a blockchain application designed for conducting microtransactions of electricity in a nanogrid environment. By applying the design science research methodology, we improve the efficiency of the application’s smart contract by 11 %, with further improvement opportunities identified. Despite the results, we find the efficiency remains inadequate for public Ethereum deployment. From the optimization process, we extrapolate a set of general guidelines for optimizing the efficiency of Ethereum smart contracts in any application.
This paper describes the proof of concept of a blockchain based organization of a local low voltage energy community. The focus of the concept is efficient use of shared resources to minimize external dependence, and not energy trading. A previously proposed control algorithm, which exploits the power dependency of the efficiency of electrical energy storages, is implemented as a smart contract on a private instance of an Ethereum blockchain to coordinate the operation. It is implemented using four connected Raspberry Pis representing the participating households with pre-given electrical load and photovoltaic conversion as well as a battery. Each household runs an Ethereum full node and an interfacing software. Only the energy technology components are simulated, while the blockchain is actually running on the Raspberry Pis in order to mind the full complexity of the technology. The practicability is proved in a test run and positive effects on the efficiency and the self-sufficiency within the community are observed. A first cost-benefit estimate is given and a further research agenda is presented.
In this position paper we discuss the methodological challenges associated with engaging citizens, publics and research participants in speculations around future socio-technical systems. We focus on distributed autonomous organizations and associated smart contracting and distributed ledger technologies as an example of such systems. Drawing on our prior work on Speculative Enactments, we highlight the potential value of speculative approaches to engaging people in the design of DAOs that (i) have clear consequentiality for participants, (ii) illustrate scenarios of the future mundane involving these technologies, and (iii) give opportunities for participants to co-construct speculations. We suggest these as provocative starting points to conducting future participatory and speculative design research on DAOs, and to promote discussion with workshop attendees.
We consider users which may have renewable energy harvesting devices, or distributed generators. Such users can behave as consumer or producer (hence, we denote them as prosumers) at different time instances. A prosumer may sell the energy to other prosumers in exchange of money. We consider a demand response model, where the price of conventional energy depends on the total demand of all the prosumers at a certain time. A prosumer depending on its own utility has to select the amount of energy it wants to buy either from the grid or from other prosumers, or the amount of excess energy it wants to sell to other prosumers. However, the strategy, and the payoff of a prosumer inherently depends on the strategy of other prosumers as a prosumer can only buy if the other prosumers are willing to sell. We formulate the problem as a coupled constrained game, and seek to obtain the generalized Nash equilibrium. We show that the game is a concave potential game and show that there exists a unique generalized Nash equilibrium. We consider that a platform will set the price for distributed interchange of energy among the prosumers in order to minimize the consumption of the conventional energy. We propose a distributed algorithm where the platform sets a price to each prosumer, and then each prosumer at a certain time only optimizes its own payoff. The prosumer then updates the price depending on the supply and demand for each prosumer. We show that the algorithm converges to an optimal generalized Nash equilibrium. The distributed algorithm also provides an optimal price for the exchange market.
Bettina Nissen, Larissa Pschetz, Dave Murray-Rust, Hadi Mehrpouya · 6 authors
Design and HCI researchers are increasingly working with complex digital infrastructures, such as cryptocurrencies, distributed ledgers and smart contracts. These technologies will have a profound impact on digital systems and their audiences. However, given their emergent nature and technical complexity, involving non-specialists in the design of applications that employ these technologies is challenging. In this paper, we discuss these challenges and present GeoCoin, a location-based platform for embodied learning and speculative ideating with smart contracts. In collaborative workshops with GeoCoin, participants engaged with location-based smart contracts, using the platform to explore digital 'debit' and 'credit' zones in the city. These exercises led to the design of diverse distributed-ledger applications, for time-limited financial unions, participatory budgeting, and humanitarian aid. These results contribute to the HCI community by demonstrating how an experiential prototype can support understanding of the complexities behind new digital infrastructures and facilitate participant engagement in ideation and design processes.
In this paper, we aim to provide a power trade system that will promote a sustainable electrical energy transaction ecosystem between prosumers and consumers of smart homes. We suggest a blockchain-based peer-to-peer (P2P) energy transaction platform be implemented to enable efficient electrical energy transaction between prosumers. We suggest the platform be built on the blockchain, as this technology allows a decentralized and distributed trading system, and allows a more transparent, trustworthy and secure P2P trading environment. We believe that such characteristics of the blockchain are necessary in electrical energy transactions within the smart home environment because the smart home aims to enhance user comfort and security, along with energy conservation and cost-savings. First, we classify the two different types of P2P trade to identify which will best benefit from the use of the suggested blockchain-based P2P energy-transaction platform. Within the two types of P2P trade, that we classify (pure P2P trade and hybrid P2P trade), the hybrid P2P trade will benefit more from a blockchain-based P2P energy-transaction platform. In the blockchain-based P2P energy-transaction platform, a smart contract is embedded in the blockchain and called an energy tag. The energy tag will set conditions for making every future energy transaction more cost-efficient while maintaining the most ideal and high-quality energy selection. With the blockchain-based energy tag in the energy-transaction process, multiple energy resources and home appliances will be democratically connected in order to provide users with high-quality, low-cost energy at all times and locations. In this paper, we provide simulation results that compare the unit price of electrical energy on the suggested platform to the unit price of electrical energy set by currently existing conventional power-generation companies. Additionally, we present simulation results that calculate how long initial investments to create a smart home environment that enables P2P energy transactions will take to be paid back. Based on simulation results, we believe that, in the long run, the suggested blockchain-based P2P energy-transaction platform will create a sustainable energy-transaction environment between consumers and prosumers, and the expanding ecosystem will enable the development of a trusted, sustainable, secure and energy-efficient energy transaction environment.
Blockchain is a new, foundational technology with a vast amount of application possibilities. However, practitioners might not be aware of which use cases in their own business model might benefit from blockchain technology. To aid them in analyzing their business regarding blockchain suitability, this paper introduces a use case identification framework for blockchain and a use case canvas. In the development process they have been evaluated with internal and external reviews in order to offer the best possible guidance. In combination they offer an analysis framework to help practitioners decide which use cases they should take into account for blockchain technology, which characteristics these blockchain implementations would have, and which specific advantages they would offer.
Matthias Stuermer, Gabriel Abu-Tayeh, Thomas Myrach
The modern age has heralded a shift from the industrial society, in which natural resources are crucial input factors for the economy, towards a knowledge society. To date, sustainability literature has treated knowledge-and in particular digital artifacts-mainly as a means to the end of achieving sustainable development. In this conceptual paper, we argue that digital artifacts themselves ought also to be considered as resources, which also need to be sustainable. While over-consumption is a problem facing natural resources, with sustainable digital artifacts, underproduction, and underuse are the biggest challenges. In our view, the sustainability of digital artifacts improves their potential impact on sustainable development. A theoretical foundation for digital artifacts and their ecosystem allows us to present the relevant research on digital information, knowledge management, digital goods, and innovation literature. Based on these insights, we propose ten basic conditions for sustainable digital artifacts and their ecosystem to ensure that they provide the greatest possible benefit for sustainable development. We then apply those characteristics to four exemplary cases: Linux kernel development, Bitcoin cryptocurrency, the Wikipedia project, and the Linking Open Drug Data repositories. The paper concludes with a research agenda identifying topics for sustainability scholars and information systems academics, as well as practitioners. A number of suggestions for future studies on digital sustainability are also put forward.
The rapid development of the blockchain technology and its various applications has rendered it important to understand the guidelines for adopting it. The comparative analysis method is used to analyze different dimensions of the maturity model, which is mainly based on the commonly used capability maturity model. The blockchain maturity model and its adoption process have been discussed and presented. This study serves as a guide to institutions to make blockchain adoption decisions more systematically.
Roman Matzutt, Oliver Hohlfeld, Martin Henze, Robin Rawiel · 6 authors
As transaction fees skyrocket today, blockchains become increasingly expensive, hurting their adoption in broader applications. This work tackles the saving of transaction fees for economic blockchain applications. The key insight is that other than the existing "default'' mode to execute application logic fully on-chain, i.e., in smart contracts, and in fine granularity, i.e., user request per transaction, there are alternative execution modes with advantages in cost-effectiveness. On Ethereum, we propose a holistic middleware platform supporting flexible and secure transaction executions, including off-chain states and batching of user requests. Furthermore, we propose control-plane schemes to adapt the execution mode to the current workload for optimal runtime cost. We present a case study on the institutional accounts (e.g., coinbase.com) intensively sending Ether on Ethereum blockchains. By collecting real-life transactions, we construct workload benchmarks and show that our work saves 18%\sim 47%18%-47% per invocation than the default baseline while introducing 1.81%\sim 16.59%1.81%-16.59% blocks delay.
This thesis is divided into eight sections that contextualize and illustrate the market potential for commercial PPA solar leasing on mid-sized commercial roofs in the US.First, a discussion of the drawbacks from fossil fuel reliance reveals the benefits of solar energy.The second section explains the photovoltaic effect and the process through which sunlight is converted to electricity.From that foundation, the theoretical solar dependence in the US is then contrasted with current energy consumption.The disparity shown to be the result of such large-scale challenges as the reliance on peak power plants, unavoidable heat losses and other problems stemming from the lack of a decentralized grid infrastructure.By factoring in these challenges, a commercialization strategy for mid-sized commercial photovoltaics business is realized, which logically leads to a discussion of the cost trends of photovoltaic modules and parts.Understanding costs gives rise to an examination of potential pricing options in the following section, along with breakeven analyses.Lastly, a discussion of the developments of the solar industry shows that traditional silicon wafer cells are the least expensive and most efficient technology available, and that a hypothetical company serving enterprise-class data centers in the state Ohio will break even in 9 years with optimal debt financing.
Large-scale deployment of reliable smart electricity metering networks has been considered as the first step towards a smart, integrated and efficient grid. On the consumer’s side, however, the real impact is still uncertain and limited. This paper evaluates the consumer’s perspective in the city of Västerås, Sweden, where full implementation of smart meters has been reached. New services, such as consumption feedback and the possibility to choose dynamic electricity pricing contracts, have been available from the adoption of this infrastructure. A web-based survey evaluating customers’ perception of these new services was carried out. The survey included consumers’ personal information, preferences about the type of information and the frequency of delivery and the preference for electricity pricing contracts. The results showed that the electricity consumption information offered by distribution system operators (DSOs) today is not detailed enough for customers to react accordingly. Additionally, while variable pricing contracts are becoming more popular, the available pricing schemes do not encourage customers to increase their consumption flexibility. Therefore, more detailed information from the smart meters should be made available, including disaggregated electricity consumption per appliance that would allow consumers to have more control over their energy consumption activities.
Are there differences between the sale of an unopened Super Mario Bros. computer game and of the digital collage of 5,000 images? Viewed from the perspective of the doctrine of exhaustion, we can easily conclude that the two transfers have significant differences. The auction of the tangible data carrier of the Super Mario’s 1986 edition (for $660,000) 1 fits well into the doctrine. The auction of the NFT (non-fungible token) representing Beeple’s “Everdays: the First 5000 Days” (for an equivalent of an astounding $69.3 million) 2 seems to be hype with a snowball effect rather than a modern encapsulation of digital exhaustion. Some commentators, 3 including the present author in collaboration with Alexandra Giannapoulou, João Pedro Quintais, and Balázs Bodó, 4 have thoroughly introduced the incompatibility of the NFT mania with the existing copyright status quo, and so – in connection with the present book’s topic – the sale of tokenized information, which is capable of representing information related to digital artworks, is practically excluded from the scope of the exhaustion of the right of distribution. At the same time, NFTs de facto offer a “code-based digital ecosystem that has practical consequences for the copyright-relevant fields of creativeness.” 5 The sale and resale of NFTs is possible; an exchange of information and title to “own” and “trade” information related to copyrightable subject matter is technologically guaranteed. In line with that, a quasi-exhaustion regime has also emerged. As such, the NFT mania can practically evidence the need for and modern technology’s capability of offering digital marketplaces for artworks as well.