Title: Blockchain for smart grid security: applications, trends, and challenges

Authors: Diogo Menezes Ferrazani Mattos; Dianne Scherly Varela De Medeiros; Diego Passos; Natalia Castro Fernandes; Débora Christina Muchaluat-Saade; Igor Monteiro Moraes; Célio V.N. De Albuquerque

Addresses: MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil ' MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil ' MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil; ISEL, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Portugal ' MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil ' MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil ' MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil ' MídiaCom Laboratory (PPGEET/IC/UFF), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói/RJ, Brazil

Abstract: The electric power grid is the world's largest engineering system, and its secure and reliable operation is vital to human activities. The introduction of intelligence in the electrical power grid through smart grids imposes challenges that require new techniques and approaches to provide cyber-physical security. In this article, we discuss the use of blockchain to provide security and reliability to smart grids. Blockchain allows untrusted nodes to correctly and verifiably interact with each other in a distributed peer-to-peer network, without any reliable intermediary. We explore smart contracts, codes resident in blockchain that automate multi-step processes, as a way to automatically trade electric energy. We also discuss initiatives, challenges, and research opportunities of blockchain technologies in the electrical sector.

Keywords: blockchain; smart grid; security; power grid; network communication.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISTA.2021.121323

International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications, 2021 Vol.20 No.4, pp.296 - 309

Accepted: 24 Nov 2021
Published online: 04 Mar 2022 *

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