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ICT and smart grid

Article · October 2011

DOI: 10.1109/TELSKS.2011.6112018

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 ICT and Smart Grid
MScEE Boban Panajotovic1, Dr Milan Jankovic2, Dr Borislav Odadzic3,
Abstract – Development of “Smart grid” present one of global
priority with numerous of benefits, which has to be supported
and promote by leading industries and governments institutions.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector has
to play important role because of development of modern
telecommunication. This paper outline and initially describe
smart grid, smart grid architectures and smart grid
management, and the crutial role of ICT in smart grid. This
paper explain grid optimization, different concept of renewable
energy sources and energy storage system used in smart grid,
and present telecom hybrid power system as complex element of
smart grid.
Keywords – ICT, Smart Grid, Smart Meter, Energy,
Renewable.
I. INTRODUCTION
The European Commission today called all sector and
industry to outline by 2011 the practical steps it will take to
become 20% more energy efficient by 2015. For example,
ICT equipment and services alone account for about 8% of
electrical power used in the EU, with estimation of 20% at
2020, and about 2% of carbon dioxide emissions. Nowdays,
electric power causes approximately 25% of global
greenhouse gas emissions. But using ICT in a smart way
could help reducing energy consumption in different energy-
hungry sectors such as telecommunication, buildings,
transport, logistics, etc [1]. Smart grid present example of
“smart” ICT using.
Example of ICT using is to empower today’s power grid
with the capability of supporting two-way energy and
information flow, facilitating the integration of renewable
energy into the grid and empowering the consumer with tools
for optimizing energy consumption and costs. Some of
benefits are reduce peak demand, lower energy consumption,
etc. In this paper is present integration of ICT into the
traditional power distribution infrastructure, development and
implementation of topics necessary for efficient management
of the smart grid network, and smart grid architecture.
The other example is, to use renewable energy sources on
telecom sites, which are element of smart grid. In
telecommunication, in nowdays, the renewable energy
sources, because of the high cost for Wh, are generally used in
remote areas where the public mains is unavailable [2].
MScEE Boban Panajotovic1 is with the Republic Agency for
Electronic Communication, Visnjiceva 8, 11000 Beograd, Serbia,
E-mail: boban.panajotovic@ratel.rs
Dr Milan Jankovic2 is with the Republic Agency for Electronic
Communication, Visnjiceva 8, 11000 Beograd, Serbia,
E-mail: milan.jankovic@ratel.rs
Dr Borislav Odadzic3 is with the Republic Agency for Electronic
Communication, Visnjiceva 8, 11000 Beograd, Serbia,
E-mail: borislav.odadzic@ratel.rs
Due to new power and energy context such as greenhouse
effect and other environmental issues, fuel depletion and
electricity cost increase, new regulation and standards,
telecom operators have to make efforts for using renewable
energy solution [2] and to accelerate adoption of smart grid.
Proposed telecom hybrid power system is composed of
photovoltaic cell, wind turbine, battery and diesel gen-set,
with smart meter which can measure separately energy from
different renewable sources deliver to the utility grid, and
present element of smart grid.
Itshould be noted that smart grid are being promoted by
many governments as a way of addresing energy indepedence
and global warming issues.
II. SMART GRID - GENERAL
There are many definition of smart grid, but there is no
standard global definition.
Smart grids can be define as electricity networks that can
intelligently integrate the behaviour and actions of all users
connected to it - generators, consumers and those that do both,
or, a smart grid is a form of electricity network using digital
technology, or, a smart grid is the concept of modernizing the
electrical grid with ICT technologies, or, a smart grid is a
digital network that unites electrical providers, power-delivery
systems and customers, and allows two-way communication
between the utility and its customers, etc…
From previus definitions is obvious that ICT play one of
crutial role in smart grid.
A smart grid is characterized by a two-way flow of
electricity and information to create an automated and widely
distributed energy delivery network that enables integration,
effective cooperation, and information interchange among the
many interconnected elements of the electric power grid.
Needless to say that such a vision requires the use of highly
reliable and secure communication networks.
Many network protocols exist today to adequately support
differentiated quality of service, multiple levels of
redundancy, multicast operation, over wired and wireless link
layer technologies. However, piecing these protocols together
in order to support a wide variety of smart grid applications
ranging from demand response, smart metering, distribution
and automation, to micro-grid management and control is far
from trivial. Many challenges and unanswered questions
remain beyond basic connectivity and coverage range
including resiliency, reliability, adaptability and agility
needed in many of the smart grid environments.
At the heart of the smart grid is the integration of advanced
information and communication technologies into the
traditional power distribution infrastructure. This
encompasses the communications systems to enable real-time,
two-way data transfer throughout the network, and IT systems
to enable intelligent routing, power storage, usage, and billing,
as well as security management.
“New” smart grids in the future need to:
• Reduce strain on the power grid,
• Improve grid efficiency,
• Support customers in changing their energy usage
patterns, reducing power consumption and saving
money,
• Integrate distributed power sources, including
renewable energy such as Fuel Cells, Photovoltaic cell,
Wind Turbine, Micro hydro Generators, etc.
Smart grids creation is not a quick or simple proces. The
creation of national or global infrastructures will require
large-scale change in the electrical grid, at the utilities
themselves, in energy markets, and in the home and business
environment. It will require significant investment, and also
involves a complex mixture of different technologies.
III. SMART GRID ARCHITECTURES
Most of the world’s electricity system was built when
primary energy was relatively inexpensive. Grid reliability
was mainly ensured by having excess capacity in the system,
with unidirectional electricity flow to consumers from
centrally dispatched power plants. Investments in the electric
system were made to meet increasing demand—not to change
fundamentally the way the system works. While innovation
and technology have dramatically transformed other industrial
sectors, the electric system, for the most part, has continued to
operate the same way for decades. This lack of investment,
combined with an asset life of 40 or more years, has resulted
in an inefficient and increasingly unstable system [3].
For modern smart grid new architectures has do be desing.
Requirements for smart grid are significant different,
comparing to “old fashion” electricity system. These changes
require a new, more intelligent system that can manage the
increasingly complex electric grid. The electrification of the
transportation system and the increasing reliance on
renewable resources will require new models for such loads
and generators, new architecture for their efficient and secure
interactions through the cyber-physical infrastructure. New
architectures also has to allow to broker in real time the
flexible smart loads demand while incorporating increasing
volatility in the energy provision, associated with green
energy sources and decentralized generation.
In smart grid, different user can be involved in energy
“delivering” to the grid. The basic prerequisites imposed to
power systems are related to their safety, long life and
uninterruptible power [4,5].
One example of complex element in smart grid architecture
present telecom hybrid power system, used for
telecommunication equipment power feeding. This system
include traditional energy sources (grid), renewable energy
sources (e.g. photovoltaic cell, wind turbine) and storage
system (e.g. battery, diesel gen-set). Energy from hybrid
power system can be “delivered” to the grid, which means that
quality of voltage must be “grid quality” [6]. Described hybrid
power system include smart meter. In this work, authors
proposed smart meter which measure delivered energy from
the utility grid and energy deliver from hybrid power system
to the utility grid. For delivered energy to the utility grid,
proposed smart meter has to measure separately energy from
photovoltaic cell and wind turbines. Reason for that is
different price for energy deliver from “sun” or “wind” [6].
An example of telecom hybrid power system as element of
smart grid architecture is given in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. Telecom hybrid power system as element of smart grid
This new architectures require devolopement of two-way
communication system, computing and smart grid devices.
Role of ICT is to ensure perform, secure, and reliable
communication and control of all smart grid elements as:
• Power generation,
• Transmission system,
• Transmission substation,
• Distribution system,
• Distribution substation,
• Different renewable energy sources,
• Storage system,
• Residential customer,
• Commercial customer,
• Industrial customer.
An example of smart grid architecture is given in Fig. 2.
IV. SMART GRID MANAGEMENT
Efficient management of the smart grid networks, based on
obtained monitoring information is fundamental for efficient
operation of Smart Grids. Management of Smart Grig include
development and implementation of next topic:
• Smart metering: monitoring and customer involvement
in energy usage,
• demand side and demand response management and
real time pricing,
• Home Energy controlling box,
• ICT readiness for Mobile Electricity Consumers
(electric vehicle),
• efficient management of conventional energy sources,
as power plants,
 Fig. 2. An example of smart grid architecture
• efficient management of renewable energy sources, as
wind, solar …,
• efficient management of excess power generated by the
customers and sold to providers and
• management of transmission networks and distribution
networks, including the main grid as well as micro
grids such as municipal or regional grids.
For smart grid management is necessary to monitor power
system in real time. Monitored informations have to be
delivered to a central data processing system. Successful
monitoring application requires a carefully designed
architecture, including thoroughly considered communication
delay time, cyber security and high system reliability.
It requires modernization of the existing electric power grid
involves widespread sensing to gather real time information. It
means that modern communication links have to be used to
transmite the data to be processed in central data processing
system and to convey control signal back to the grid
components.
V. RENEWABLES AND STORAGE SYSTEM IN
SMART GRID
One of the major priority worldwide are using of energy
efficient solution and reduction of CO2. Crutial role play using
of renewable energy sources as much is possible and
tremendous changes in transportation sector.
Renewable energy sources, as wind turbine or photovoltaic
cell, can be used on different way.
“Big” wind turbines in wind farm and solid area of
photovoltaic cells as stand alone system are used for
electricity prodaction. Electrical energy generated in wind
farm, or photovoltaic stand alone system is sold and delivered
to the electrical grid.
The other example is using of “small” wind turbine, or
small area of photovoltaic cell, which are usually instal at
customer premises. This kind of electrical energy can be used
for power feeding of customer load, or can be delivered to the
electrical grid.
Becouse of intermittent behaviour of renewable energy
sources, depends of apllication, they may require energy
storage system.
Reduction of CO2 is closely related with massive use of
electrical vehicle in transportation sector. Electrical vehicle
require periodicaly charging. Problem is still small location as
vehicle battery charging station. Also, stored energy in vehicle
battery can be deliverd to the electrical grid. In the future,
number of electrical vehicle will increase, and their impact
can be significant in the future smart grid.
For example, car batteries can be used to store energy when
it is inexpensive and sell it back to the grid when prices are
higher. For drivers, their vehicles would become a viable
means to arbitrage the cost of power, while utility companies
could use fleets of electric vehicles to supply power to the grid
to respond to peaks in electricity demand.
It is clear that communication and ICT will play a
significant role in the implementation and control of
renewable energy sources, electrical vehicle and electrical
storage system as elements of smart grid.
In case of “small” renewable energy sources and large
number of potencial electrical vehicle in the future, chalenges
for ICT will be to control and manage them in real time as
smart grid elements.
 VI. GRID OTIMIZATION
Optimisation is the process of making a system as good as
possible. Concept of optimization is simple, but the practice is
complex because it involves different variables and tradeoffs.
Optimization in power grid present focal point.
Optimization for power grid means that system is design cost
effectly and exploitation costs, maintenance costs, replacing
costs of system components are minimize in period of
exploitation [7].
In case of the power grid, necessary is to find right balance
between reliability, availability, efficiency and “all” costs. Fot
the above mentioned problems, the smart grid offers solution.
First, smart grid devices gather information, providing a more
accurate and detailed understanding. Second, smart grid
software analyzes that data and suggest adjustment and
configuration to wring maximum value from grid assets.
Third, smart grid provide more customer involvd role in the
optimization of their energy consumption and their energy
costs.
Also, all element in smart grid (e.g. previus described
telecom hybrid power system) has to be optimize.
Optimisation algorithms change the values of decision
variables of an underlying in model in such a way as to
optimise the resulting value of the model’s objective function
[3].
VII. SMART GRID MECHANISMS, TACTICS AND
REGULATION
Smart grid mechanisms and tactics include:
• smart meters,
• dynamic pricing,
• smart thermostats and smart appliances,
• automated control of equipment,
• real-time and next day energy information feedback to
electricity users,
• usage by appliance data,
• scheduling and control of loads such as electric vehicle
chargers, home area networks, and others,
• …?
All of this topics, like the other issues important for smart
grid, are in the stage of development and defineing.
Smart grids, as most high potential technological changes,
will only fulfill its promises if the new systems to be
developed are based on the appropriate set of standards. The
main reason for this is that smart grids are going to
incrementally merge power technologies with ICT, thus
creating both new requirements (e.g. reliability, efficiency)
and new interoperability challenges that will in turn need an
evolution of standards, beyond the set of existing standards
that early gap analysis have identified. In addition, some key
issues like security or privacy will demand not only standards
but also new regulatory frameworks and roles.
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The role of government institutions and regulatory bodies
will be crutial for the future of smart grid.
VIII. CONCLUSION
Realizing the fact that power energy is the key factor for
sustainable development, a consensus has been reached
among the scientists, energy engineers and economists as well
as political communities all over the world that there is a need
to supply energy for all sectors, without a detrimental impact
on ecology.
Also, using ICT in smart way as supporting two-way energy
and information flow, facilitating the integration of renewable
energy sources into the grid, empowering the consumer with
tools for optimizing their energy consumption, etc. can
contribute to reach this target.
Higlight of this work is key role of ICT in smart grid
management, operation, architecture, requirements for reliable
and secure communication network, but also pointing at the
chalanges and unanswerd questions.
Also, in this paper is present concept where ICT locations
become elements of smart grid. Becouse of their large
number, influence on global level can be significant,
particulary if there are equiped with renewable energy
sources, with possibility to deliver this energy to the utility
grid.
One of authors point is new concept of smart metar with
posibillity to measure separate deliverd energy from different
renewable energy sources to the grid and to measure energy
from the utility grid to the system.
Future work also will be focused on system component
design and optimisation, optimal location infrastructure
designing and new working algorithm development.
Generally, purpose of this work is to give some practical
guideline concerning to the smart grid, stimulate using of ICT
in smart way and stimulate development of new idea in area
of “Smart grid” and renewable energy sources.
REFERENCES
[1] European Commision Repport, IP/09/1498, Brussels, 9. October 2009.
[2] ETSI Technical Repport ETSI TR 102 532, The use of alternative
energy solution in telecommunication installation.
[3] Christian Feisst, Dirk Schlesinger and Wes Frye, Smart Grid-The role of
Electricity Infrastructure in reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Cisco
white paper, October 2008.
[4] Reeve, “DC Power system design for telecommunication”, John Wiley
and Sons, USA (2007).
[5] Gumhalter, “Power supply in telecommunications”, Springer-Verlag,
Berlin (1995).
[6] B. Odadzic,B. Panajotovic and M. Jankovic, Telecommunication Hybrid
Power System in “Smart Grid”, InfoTeh Conference, Jahorina, March
2011.
[7] B. Odadzic,B. Panajotovic and M. Jankovic, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Solution in Telecommunication, ICREPQ’11, Las
Palmas de Gran Canarian, ISBN: 978-84-614-7527-8,
[8] Seeling-Hochmuth, “Optimisation of hybrid energy systems sizing and
operation control”, PhD thesis , Universiti of Kassel, October 1998.