Peer-to-peer energy management of distributed ledgers in renewable smart energy systems

Sadooghi, Ramin; Niknam, Taher; Sheikh, Morteza; Aghaei, Jamshid; Vahidinasab, Vahid; Malik, Om; Fotovat, Saeed

Abstract

The rapid progress of communication technologies has encouraged industrial infrastructures to merge such tools with their own assets to enhance efficiency through smart control and surveillance. In this regard, data transmission security has taken center stage and generated considerable interest among researchers. This paper examines a key challenge in utilizing blockchain technology for advanced power system management: the high energy consumption of miners. Miners function as variable loads in the system; their hash rate and energy consumption directly influence the security of information exchange and the overall costs of the system. To tackle this challenge, a distributed energy management application has been developed using a peer-to-peer architecture that interacts with the energy consumption of blockchain distributed ledgers (DLs) and manages it alongside the power grid and microgrids. The program employs the RCI adaptive method, developed to address multiple constraints concurrently. These include minimizing overall costs, optimizing energy consumption among miners, balancing the load distribution between microgrids and the main grid, and ensuring a robust level of information security. This energy management framework balances hash rate, data security, and energy costs. It shows that using a peer-to-peer structure and RCI approach can more effectively solve these challenges than current methods. Production sources and consumers are modeled with uncertainty due to the nature of renewable energy sources and the load dependence of miners. This approach ensures that the cost of production and consumption more closely reflects real-world outcomes. P2P’s proposed energy management system shows that combining a data security platform with distributed consensus can lower costs and improve system efficiency. This approach creates a more affordable infrastructure for society and increases the overall welfare index, leading to a brighter and more sustainable future for everyone.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 19, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Publication Date: 2025-05
• Deposit Date: Feb 18, 2025
• Journal: Electric Power Systems Research
• Print ISSN: 0378-7796
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 242
• Article Number: 111451
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsr.2025.111451