Smart grids: A comprehensive survey of challenges, industry applications, and future trends

Abstract

With the increasing energy demands of the 21st century, there is a clear need for developing a more sustainable method of energy generation, distribution, and transmission. Modern power grid infrastructures are currently managing these aspects, though their outdated configuration results in rigid and inefficient operation. The emerging technology of Smart Grids offers innovative solutions to these issues, utilizing advanced communication and computation structures. Through the integration of a bidirectional power and information flow, smart systems, and renewable energy sources, Smart Grids are the next generation of power grids, enabling cooperativity, automation, and efficiency. Even on small scales, the proposed benefits of the Smart Grid are substantial in maintaining sustainable energy use with growing demands. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive overview of Smart Grid technology, specifically focusing on the challenges presented by cybersecurity, interoperability, and renewable energy integration. These aspects were determined to be the most prevalent issues facing the advancement of Smart Grids, specifically for global application. We discuss these challenges thoroughly, determining the difficulties they induce and proposed solutions presented in literature. As such, this survey is intended to be a reference for other researchers, providing state-of-the-art approaches to solving these problems, as well as offering insights on ongoing issues and future endeavors. Additionally, we will highlight the current state of Smart Grid implementation through an analysis of programs and research being conducted by academic institutions, industry, and government.