Page 382 - From Smart Grid to Internet of Energy

346 From smart grid to internet of energy

in the EI communications. Because of its effective spectrum resource manage-
ment features, the CR systems are widely utilized in communication networks
of SG systems [28, 29]. The idea of employing CR technologies has been arisen
in various application areas such as device-to-device (D2D), WSNs and SGs. The
authors researched architecture and hardware applications of CR technologies for
SG systems in [30]. Network topology of current cellular systems contains many
cell structures that enable uninterrupted data flows between cells [4]. These net-
works can be expressed analytically depending on the load areas, DESs and man-
agement areas. Therefore, the cellular networks can be efficiently utilized to
accomplish advanced communications in the EI systems.

9.4 Current challenges of EI systems

This section presents various current challenges of EI concept that can be mainly
sorted out as complexity, efficiency, reliability and security as can be seen from
Fig. 9.5. Since the EI system is a novel technology aiming to integrate informa-
tion technology, energy systems and network systems to present more reliable
and flexible power grid, this new concept can be considered as system of systems
that leads to massive and complex systems [1, 2]. Hence, communication systems
to be developed for EI concept will certainly experience important problems.
Researchers currently try to develop various models in order to overcome the
complexity issue. This concept is created to provide a balance between energy
sources and energy consumption. Thus, establishing a reliable information infra-
structure among each components is a crucial issue to ensure efficiency of the EI
system. The EI exhibits several behaviors in terms of scalability, stability and
security depending on the system characteristics such as network scheme, man-
agement methods and so on. The selection of network topology may be also var-
ied based on energy type and its operation procedures.

FIG. 9.5 Current important problems of EI system.