Sudhir K. Sharma - Blockchain Applications for Secure IoT Frameworks: Technologies Shaping the Future

Smart Grid is defined as an intelligent electrical distribution system that offers bi-directional energy, which flows from producers to consumers, intending to optimize use to reduce costs and improve the performance of the electricity network, which requires a balance between generators, operators, and system distributors, providing benefits , including reduced power losses, lower costs, and better measurement of consumption with better control, enabling a reduction in carbon emissions. With sensors installed in the electrical networks sending data related to energy consumption directly from the consumer unit, they enable more effective and efficient network planning. Besides, the network is designed to reduce the occurrence and duration of power outages as much as possible. In it, electromechanical consumption meters are replaced by digital smart meters, representing a true revolution in energy supply, meaning that the Smart Grid is a system that automates not only the monitoring but the entire management of electricity use. This chapter contributes to the discussion and overview of Smart Grids, their applications in the current era, as well as categorizing and synthesizing the technology's potential.

The search for sustainability-related to digital transformation has created new possibilities for the world, with actions aimed at reducing environmental damage with a greater objective than simply saving, but it is necessary to make intelligent and conscious use of what is at disposal.

Energy management is a prerequisite for a sustainable environment, and Smart Grids are an essential pillar for its achievement. The spread of renewable energy sources has led to a profound modernization of traditional electricity distribution systems and how they are effectively distributed. Smart Grid is defined as an intelligent electrical distribution system that delivers bi-directional energy flows from producers to consumers. Unlike traditional power grids, where power is generated by only one plant and distributed to end customers through the large transformer and substation networks, in Smart Grid, end customers also act as producers [].

Internet of Things technology is enabling cities around the world to implement a series of digital transformation projects, such as reducing car traffic in major cities and energy consumption. In addition to its use in home life, IoT promises to revolutionize industries, the security market, and even the medical field. Electricity consumption was also largely impacted by technology. Efforts are being made to design and implement energy-efficient networks that use Smart Grid parameters and apply the Internet of Things, making it possible for the network to work in less time and reduce power consumption [].

A company's entire infrastructure depends on electricity, which requires continuous management of its use. In parallel with the search for sustainability, digital transformation has also added to the creation of new possibilities for managing this resource. The concept of this trend refers to a new power distribution architecture that can automate all management of electricity use. For the Smart Grid to function, it is necessary to switch analog meters to digital meters. These are safer, and especially intelligent, devices that enable the integration of information between other connected users [].

Smart Grid is generic for applying computational intelligence and networking skills to an electricity distribution system. In recent times, this concept has gained a lot of prominences , especially in Smart Grid projects that seek to improve operations, maintenance, and planning, ensuring that each component of the power grid can talk and listen.It is, therefore, a highly automated, efficient, self-healing, a bi-directional pathway of energy, enabling i nterconnected communications for a highly reliable and efficient utopian world of energy production and distribution [].

Considering that in many places, a power company will only know that service is disrupted if a customer calls in a Smart Grid scenario, the company will immediately know why certain network components, such as the use of smart meters in the affected area, have stopped to send sensor data. By ensuring that all network components, from transformers and power lines to household, commercial and industrial electrical meters, have IP addresses and are capable of using bidirectional communication, the company can manage distribution more efficiently. Also, it needs to be proactive in maintenance and respond to outages faster. So, another important component of Smart Grid technology is automation [].

Basically, it must communicate in an integrated automated way between components of the power grid, employ detection and measurement technologies, automated controls for distribution and repairs, better dashboard management, and decision support software. It is correct to say that a Smart Grid is an example of the Internet of Things (IoT), in which almost any object can be equipped with a unique identifier and given the ability to communicate over the web [].

A Smart Grid is equipped with sensors that collect and transmit data since this information transmission allows to automatically adjust the electricity flows. Remotely located controllers are then informed of the situation in real-time and can act immediately if there is a problem occurring virtually without human intervention. Besides, this type of grid can communicate with any smart meter , for example, turn on consumer appliances automatically when there is too much electricity on the grid, and its prices are therefore lower [].

One of Smart Grid's biggest advantages is the ability to track energy performance in real-time. Unlike the traditional meter, where consumption data is collected once a month, digital allows constant tracking. In this way, irregularities are quickly identified and predictive, preventive, and corrective actions can be taken to avoid waste and set goals to improve the company's energy consumption. Also, a more sustainable business model is established, as it enables the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutant residues [].

Smart Grid is a promise of a flexible, resilient, performance-safe power grid that allows network resources to be exploited in real-time to optimize productivity. Characterized by the deployment of many thousands of intelligent and interactive control devices, sensors and meters, it ensures the correct interaction between all these elements, as well as significantly improving the network's efficiency, reliability, and freedom for the end customer to control. their consumption conditions [].

Among leading distribution automation and distributed power resource applications, this model can provide intelligent energy storage and provide real-time response to fluctuating demand. All this plus client-side demand management from a two-way conversation between devices on the network and also intelligent consumer devices on the edge of the user. In addition to placing the customer in control of their own energy use, this ploy ensures highly automated flexible distribution, encouraging the release or containment of consumption according to the load's circumstances over the infrastructure [].