In this paper we present the design for a smart-mask to mitigate the impact of an airborne virus such as COVID-19. The design utilises recent results from feedback control theory over a distributed ledger that have been developed to enforce compliance in a pseudo-anonymous manner. The design is based on the use of the IOTA distributed ledger. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation based on indoor positioning, paired with Monte-Carlo simulations, is developed to demonstrate the efficacy of the designed prototype.
The modern power generation systems are increasing their reliance on high penetrations of distributed energy resources (DERs). However, the optimal dispatching mechanisms mainly rely on central controls which receive the load demand information from the electricity utility providers and allocate the electricity production targets to participating generating units. The lack of transparency and control over the DER fuel inputs makes the physical power purchase agreements (PPAs) a cumbersome task. This research work proposes an innovative fractal moth flame optimization (FMFO) approach to tackle the problem of integrated load dispatch (ILD). The proposed methodology provides a mechanism to integrate the information of the proposed optimizer, i.e., FMFO into the smart contracts enabled by the blockchain technology. This problem entails the allocation of loads to power-generating units in a manner that minimizes the total generation cost in a decentralized manner. To improve the efficiency of dispatch operations in the presence of a substantial integration of wind energy, this study proposes a novel framework based on the principles of fractal heritage, drawing inspiration from the classical MFO method. To assess the effectiveness and adaptability of the algorithm suggested, various non-convex scenarios in the context of optimization for ILD are considered. These scenarios incorporate valve-point loading effects (VPLEs), capacity limitations, power plants with multiple fuel options, and the presence of stochastic wind (SW) power uncertainty, following a Weibull distribution. The findings demonstrate exceptional performance in terms of minimizing fuel generation costs compared to traditional algorithms.
Currently, there is an active use of distributed registry technology in various sectors of the economy by providing transparency, improving tracking of actions within processes, and ensuring trust in open systems. There is a need to evaluate the performance of distributed registries based on measurable indicators. The article presents an overview of distributed registries performance indicators, methods to improve the efficiency and evaluation of distributed registries.
The rapid expansion of transactive energy has transformed traditional electricity consumers into producers, engaging in local energy trading. In the context of distributed energy transactions, blockchain technology has been increasingly applied to facilitate transaction transparency and reliability. However, due to the challenges in collecting accurate energy transmission data from power lines, most existing studies on the blockchain-based transactive energy market are still vulnerable to security attacks, such as malicious users misreporting energy prices, refusing to pay or refusing to transmit energy. Therefore, based on the co-simulation platform PEMT-CoSim and a blockchain, we establish a blockchain-based, reputation-aware secure transactive energy market (STEM) by introducing a reputation scheme to evaluate the trustworthiness of all prosumers and designing reputation-aware, multi-round double auction and energy transmission algorithms to detect and penalize malicious attacks. Furthermore, we run comprehensive experiments for different use cases. The results show that even with malicious participants, the proposed system can guarantee the interests of the honest participants and improve the robustness and effectiveness of the energy market.
Renewable electrical energy (such as: solar and wind energies) generation in microgrids (MGs), is gaining attention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Microgrid operators (MOs) aim to create self-sufficient, environmentally sustainable grids, increasing the capacity of renewable energy sources (RESs) by up to 100%. Despite of the benefits of this trend, challenges arise from non-controlled characteristics of these power generations and their seasonal variations, causing fluctuations and renewable energy curtailment. Although the technical solutions; such as: the demand response (DR) programs, and the conventional electrical energy storage systems (EESSs) can help, however those may face limitations in countries with high seasonal energy generation and consumption variations. This paper introduces cryptocurrency mining loads (CMLs) as innovative virtual energy storage systems (VESSs), named cryptocurrency energy storage systems (CESSs). It proposes a structure to store excess renewable energy in cryptocurrency units (CCUs) like Bitcoin (BTC). CESSs can be charged during off-peak intervals and, conversely, they discharge during high-demand periods to reduce the overall operational cost of MGs. Furthermore, it presents a new energy management system (EMS) formulation for the optimal operation of MGs in the presence of CESSs, providing an opportunity to generate additional electricity from RESs and to mitigate renewable energy curtailment. This paper explores the optimal operation conditions of both islanded and grid-connected MG with the proposed CESS. Utilizing a dataset from an island in Finland as a practical MG, its effectiveness is demonstrated through several case studies. The results of one case study in this paper demonstrate that the proposed CESS can decrease the operating cost of the MG by about 46.5%. Additionally, it is showed that by application of CESS the renewable energy curtailment is significantly reduced, and approached zero.
H S Gururaja, Ananya Hebbar, Amisha S Poojary, Asritam Aniruddh Bharadwaj · 5 authors
Blockchain technology can be used to create a decentralized energy trading system for grids that rely on renewable energy sources. This system would allow individuals and organizations that generate renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, to sell excess energy to others on the grid through a peer-to-peer network. Blockchain has smart contracts that facilitate the transactions and ensure that the energy is exchanged securely and transparently. This type of system can increase the efficiency and flexibility of the grid, and help to improve the acquisition of sustainable energy resources. The system allows organizations and smart homes that generate sustainable energy to trade excess energy to others on the grid through a peer-to-peer network, facilitated by smart contracts. The use of blockchain in this manner can increase the efficiency and flexibility of grids and promote the adoption of renewable energy sources. Blockchain technology possesses the potential to transform the energy trading system by creating a decentralized, secure, and transparent P2P energy trading facility for grids that rely on renewable energy sources. This facility allows the trading of energy that is produced in excess by any entity through smart contracts. By using blockchain technology, the energy trading process is more efficient, secure, and transparent, and it can facilitate the adoption of sustainable energy sources. The implementation of such a system, however, requires collaboration between various stakeholders and compliance with existing regulations and standards of the energy sector. Despite the challenges, the potential benefits of a blockchain-based smart decentralized energy trading system make it a promising solution for the future of the energy sector.
Paraskevas Koukaras, Konstantinos D. Afentoulis, Paschalis A. Gkaidatzis, Aristeidis Mystakidis · 7 authors
This research, conducted throughout the years 2022 and 2023, examines the role of blockchain technology in optimizing Demand Response (DR) within Smart Grids (SGs). It critically assesses a range of blockchain architectures, evaluating their impact on enhancing DR’s efficiency, security, and consumer engagement. Concurrently, it addresses challenges like scalability, interoperability, and regulatory complexities inherent in merging blockchain with existing energy systems. By integrating theoretical and practical viewpoints, it reveals the potential of blockchain technology to revolutionize Demand Response (DR). Findings affirm that integrating blockchain technology into SGs effectively enhances the efficiency and security of DR, and empirical data illustrate substantial improvements in both cases. Furthermore, key challenges include scalability and interoperability, and also identifying opportunities to enhance consumer engagement and foster system transparency in the adoption of blockchain within DR and SGs. Finally, this work emphasizes the necessity for further investigation to address development hurdles and enhance the effectiveness of blockchain technology in sustainable energy management in SGs.
Mohammad Parhamfar, Iman Sadeghkhani, Amir Mohammad Adeli
Abstract The increasing trend of energy generation and management systems towards decentralized structures such as using renewable energy resources makes it necessary to use digital and smart platforms for exchanging information and even conducting financial transactions in a decentralized manner, known as the peer‐to‐peer model. The decentralized transaction verification of cryptocurrencies makes it possible to use these encrypted currencies and decentralized blockchain networks in energy management systems and carry out financial transactions related to carbon trading. Carbon and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emission trading systems reduce the competitiveness of fossil fuel projects in the market and accelerate investment in low‐carbon energy sources such as wind and photovoltaic power generation units. This market mechanism allows large entities such as countries and companies that emit GHGs into the atmosphere to buy and sell these gases. This paper reviews the blockchain solutions developed for carbon markets. Studies related to the design of smart contracts in the platform of blockchain are investigated. Special cryptocurrencies that are used in the field of green energy transactions and carbon trading are introduced. In addition, the application of artificial intelligence and game theory in energy trading is stated. The study of different blockchain frameworks for carbon trading shows that the use of decentralized platforms in carbon trading can have a significant impact on the trend towards low‐carbon measures and achieving the goals of the Kyoto Treaty, increasing the value of green cryptocurrencies and the volume of transactions. These technologies offer a promising avenue for creating a more decentralized, efficient, and environmentally conscious energy ecosystem.
Charithri Yapa, Chamitha de Alwis, Madhusanka Liyanage, Janaka Ekanayake
Blockchain has become the technology enabler in delivering modern Smart Grid 2.0 functionalities. Many services including Peer-to-Peer energy trading, distribution network management, financial settlements, and energy data management are catered through blockchain-enabled platforms. However, areas such as service quality-based pricing strategies, supply–demand balancing in distribution system to attain enhanced reliability and consumption-oriented rewarding mechanisms need improving in order to achieve the full benefits of the envisaged grid architecture. In response, this study proposes a novel Blockchain-as-a-Service for Energy Trading (BaaSET) platform, which offers reputation-based services, executed through smart contracts for smart grid applications. Reputation-based grid operations are automatically executed through smart contracts deployed onto a blockchain. The reputation is estimated using power quality and reliability indices, obtained through grid measurements. Further, tests have been conducted to evaluate the associated latency and the implementation cost of the proposed blockchainized service architecture. Test results signify the performance to be comparatively better considering the state-of-the-art. The results further suggest alternatives to improve the scalability of the architecture, to cater the increasing number of stakeholders in the SG 2.0 environment.
Godwin C. Okwuibe, Thomas Brenner, Muhammad Yahya, Peter Tzscheutschler · 5 authors
Abstract Blockchain‐based local energy markets have been proposed in recent years to provide a market platform for local prosumers and consumers to exchange their energy in a secured, transparent and tamper‐proof manner. However, there are still some challenges regarding the scalability of blockchain to handle high computational models/algorithms/contracts as this may result in the extension of the block size of the blockchain network and very high gas costs. Also, there is still the problem of transparency as regards General Data Protection Regulation because the full visibility of data in the blockchain may collide with privacy in some settings. A framework is presented that combines the on‐chain features of blockchain with trusted execution environments to develop a transparent, tamper‐resistant, low operation cost, scalable and resilient hybrid model architecture for local electricity trading. The model architecture was simulated in German community case scenarios for a varying number of prosumers and consumers to show its applicability. The simulation results show that the model was able to solve the scalability problem of blockchain for the local energy market application as the market model is run in a trusted environment where the integrity of the model can be verified by the participants.
Azana Hafizah Mohd Aman, Norazuwana Shaari, Zainab S. Attar Bashi, Saman Iftikhar · 7 authors
The Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain paradigms have offered significant benefits in recent technological innovations. Blockchain has been rated one of the top ten strategic technologies in a recent Gartner survey, and it is increasingly being employed in a range of industries. Blockchains provide transparent, tamper-proof, and secure platforms that, enables ground-breaking commercial solutions. Nonetheless, the use of blockchain technology for IoT Smart Residential energy systems looks to be relatively unexplored. In fact, most IoT devices are powered by a battery with a short life span. Generating and managing energy on an infinite scale is a much more ambitious goal than relying solely on battery power. Hence, this topic is addressed in this article, focusing on the IoT energy systems, renewable energy resources, and how energy is successfully stored. By thoroughly evaluating the literature and existing research cases, this article contributes to the state-of-the-art. Our study examines the opportunities, challenges, and constraints for the evolving peer-to-peer energy systems and blockchain-IoT applications. The study concludes with the hurdles that technology must overcome in order to move beyond the hype phase and into mainstream acceptance.
The development of low-carbon power systems has not only elevated the investment costs of power enterprises, but also generated a vast amount of electricity data. The electricity data trading holds promising potential as a primary means to cover investment costs. However, there is a lack of research on the electricity data trading. To address this issue, this article designs an electricity data trading method based on price game and blockchain for low-carbon power systems. It encompasses a data trading framework and the corresponding trading mechanism. The proposed trading framework contains data providers, data consumers, and a blockchain-based information system that plays the role of the data servicer to handle the transactions between data providers and consumers. The proposed trading mechanism mainly consists of three parts: 1) valuation; 2) pricing; and 3) copyrights confirmation. Those parts are executed sequentially to complete the electricity data trading process from valuation to clearing. Specially, the information theory is employed to realize multidimensional electricity data valuation. Further, the data trading game pricing is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem considering market power constraints to solve. In addition, the digital watermarking combined with blockchain is designed to protect the electricity data copyright. With those components, the designed electricity data trading method enables the power enterprises to make profit from the low-carbon smart energy systems. Finally, experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The rapid growth of distributed renewable energy penetration is promoting the evolution of the energy system toward decentralization and decentralized and digitized smart grids. This study was based on energy blockchain, and developed a dual-biding mechanism based on the real-time energy surplus and demand in the local smart grid, which is expected to enable reliable, affordable, and clean energy supply in smart communities. In the proposed system, economic benefits could be achieved by replacing fossil-fuel-based electricity with the high penetration of affordable solar PV electricity. The reduction of energy surplus realized by distributed energy production and P2P energy trading, within the smart grid results in less transmission loss and lower requirements for costly upgrading of existing grids. By adopting energy blockchain and smart contract technologies, energy secure trading with a low risk of privacy leakage could be accommodated. The prototype is examined through a case study, and the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed mechanism are further validated by scenario analysis.
Yan Li, Yan Li, Yuying Gong, Mingbo Wu · 7 authors
Abstract Blockchain technology is demonstrating vast potential in the realm of distributed energy transactions. This article employs the Ethereum platform to architect an energy trading settlement framework. By incorporating whitelists, authorization mechanisms, and dedicated energy tokens, transactions are rendered more secure and reliable, ensuring the openness, transparency, traceability, and immutability of transaction information. The proposed transaction settlement mechanism automatically updates users' energy imbalances and levies corresponding charges, thereby ensuring strict adherence to transaction contracts. Furthermore, during the settlement phase, smart contracts are employed to autonomously evaluate the creditworthiness of transaction parties, with results recorded on the blockchain. As the credit levels of the entities across the entire network increase, the block generation time for distributed energy trading blockchains becomes shorter, with the block generation time predominantly influenced by the credit rating of the highest-rated entity in the network. Hence, through smart contract design based on energy trading, blockchain technology is utilized to enhance the transparency and security of transaction settlement and clearing. Future research could focus on improving blockchain scalability, integrating emerging technologies, to advance the effectiveness and adoption of blockchain-based energy trading systems.
Akshay Chaudhary, Prateek Negi, Amit Dimari, Rohan Rohan
Energy suppliers, entrepreneurs, technological developers, financial organizations, national governments, and academics are interested in blockchains or distributed ledgers. Many of these sources believe blockchains may provide considerable advantages and innovation. Smart contracts and blockchains offer transparent, tamper-proof, and secure platforms that may allow new business solutions. This article covers core blockchain topics including system designs and distributed consensus techniques. From peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading and Internet of Things (IoT) applications to decentralized markets, electric car charging, and e-mobility, opportunities, problems, and constraints are examined.
As the world increasingly adopts renewable energy, the importance of smart grids grows. Integrating renewable sources into the current grid presents technical and economic challenges. Blockchain technology offers a promising solution by enabling decentralized energy trading, allowing efficient exchanges between producers and consumers. This paper proposes a detailed framework for integrating blockchain into the smart grid. The framework includes developing a blockchain-based platform for energy trading, creating smart contracts to manage and automate transactions, and incorporating IoT devices for energy data collection and sharing. By leveraging blockchain's transparency, security, and decentralization, our proposed system aims to address inefficiencies and foster a more resilient energy infrastructure. This approach could enhance the sustainability and reliability of energy distribution, supporting the transition to renewable sources. We believe our framework has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of the smart grid, paving the way for a more robust and adaptive energy system capable of meeting future demands.
Distributed energy generation disrupts traditional energy markets by blurring the line between producers and consumers and enabling the emerging prosumers to trade energy in per-to-peer transactions. Blockchain technology automates peer-to-peer energy trades in a distributed database architecture that achieves security and cost-effectiveness using cryptographic hashing and consensus-based verification. Before its deployment, an energy blockchain trading application needs to be tested in a virtual environment that is analogous to the real-world setting to ensure correct implementation and identify potential obstacles and opportunities. This study suggests executing such a testing within a framework that integrates a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment with an Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) simulation platform. The application of this testing framework to a case study of solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy trade among household peers in in Doha, Qatar, shows how the integration of the GIS environment offers a detailed analysis of transactions in local housing community markets. The ABM simulation reveals that population density, energy market prices, and household proximity significantly influence residential PV energy trading in Qatar. The ensuing simulation environment provides a decision-support platform for designing and implementing decentralized trading systems based on blockchain technology, and high-performance computing can enhance model performance for scalable energy blockchain analysis in Qatar and beyond.
As the demand for renewable energy grows, there is a need for efficient and transparent mechanisms to facilitate renewable energy trading. This research presents a novel Renewable Energy Trading Platform (RETP) that leverages blockchain technology to enable secure and decentralized energy trading. The platform utilizes distributed ledger technology to record and verify energy transactions, ensuring transparency and immutability. Smart contracts are employed to automate trade execution and settlement, eliminating the need for intermediaries and reducing transaction costs. The RETP integrates renewable energy data from various sources, such as smart meters and IoT devices, to enable accurate tracking and verification of energy production and consumption. Through the implementation of the RETP, energy producers can directly sell excess renewable energy to consumers, promoting the adoption of green energy and enhancing energy grid efficiency. A comprehensive evaluation of the platform demonstrates its efficiency, scalability, and security. The proposed RETP has the potential to revolutionize the renewable energy market by fostering peer-to-peer energy trading, empowering energy communities, and accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy future.
Arti Badhoutiya, K Sangamithrai, G. Indira, M. Suganya · 7 authors
The rise of distributed renewable energy microgrids presents new opportunities for localized energy generation, but also poses challenges in energy management, security, and transparency. This paper proposes a Blockchain-Enabled Energy Management System (EMS) for distributed renewable energy microgrids to address these challenges. By leveraging blockchain technology, the system facilitates secure and transparent energy transactions between microgrids, enabling peer-to- peer (P2P) energy trading without reliance on a central authority. Blockchain’s decentralized ledger ensures data integrity, enhances system resilience, and prevents unauthorized access, while optimizing energy distribution across the network. This approach promotes a sustainable and efficient energy ecosystem, ensuring trust and reliability in decentralized energy markets.
Imran Hussain, Hafiz Ashiq Hussain, Nasim Ullah, Stanislav Mišák
Conventional centralized optimization and management approaches may not work well in an emerging and distributed energy system with a high penetration of electric vehicles and green energy sources. The usage of blockchain technology is growing as a strong competitor as it can provide this kind of market with a transparent, secure, and efficient transactional platform. Nevertheless, most energy systems usually depend on complex mathematical optimization, which is poorly incorporated into blockchain applications. Moreover, time-sensitive message dissemination requirements, resource-intensiveness, high computational load, and communication overhead of the traditional blockchain consensus mechanisms make it difficult to connect with real-time vehicular networks. Here, we employ Proof of Intelligence (PoI), a novel prosumer-centric blockchain consensus mechanism to develop a comprehensive model of trust based on commitments of supply and demand through the application of peer-to-peer energy exchange with effective and dynamic integration of renewable sources and electric vehicles both in the day ahead and real-time energy trading platforms. Additionally, the PoI smart contract is developed to seamlessly incorporate mathematical optimization with an increased level of security, scalability, throughput, and low confirmation latency of transactions achieved through the reduced effort involved in finding and confirming the optimal solution in comparison with conventional blockchain consensus mechanisms.