The salient property of future power networks is to deploy the needful resources, which will be more in demand. Our future focuses on reducing varying levels of stress, concerning the supply side (Amini et al., 2019) This is also a reason why our future power systems are also reputed as smart grids (SG). In the upcoming days, there will also be a high demand for smart grid technologies, to supply the right source of electricity to cities that are fully-developed and advanced in technology (referring to the smart cities and locations).
Load flexibility should be an advantage here since electricity customers, together with demand a response control system should balance the supply-demand count. A crucial challenge here is to manage everything said sustainably.
It will take time and a high level of resources to achieve this outcome. Yet, there is enough information to support the fact that the control and protection of future networks would be great on multiple aspects!
A few salient applications with Smart Grids coming soon
There will be powerful state-of-the-art tools and technologies, in combination with modern (Muttaqi et al., 2019). power distribution systems. Several unprecedented changes and alterations are happening frequently in the original structural design of power control systems. It will impact the way how electricity would get produced, generated, delivered, controlled and consumed in the next generations ahead. Stating this, the expected power electronics for transmission and distribution networks will turn into key players to present global innovations such as:
- Generating magnetic links that are high on frequency
- Communications for power networks through community or distributive storage.
- Use of vehicles that are emission-free and natural.
- Power-electronic mechanisms to convert results into sustainable electricity for use.
- Superconductors and powerful mechanical generators.
- Integrating natural sources of energy such as wind and solar power.
Furthermore, our future power system networks and other electricity control protocols should focus to meet affordability as one of its goals. When there is no flexibility in purchasing products/services, then how is that business a profitable one? And that too for pricing (Subramanian et al., 2019) is important for a booming discipline like power networking systems!
So why is cost a constraint to future power networks?
For this, we have to understand a concept which has so many challenges – Dynamic Pricing. Dynamic pricing is a term that refers to the process of disclosing or revealing the actual charges on electricity. You might think this is the current scenario globally. Yet, there is a subtle difference to it. The future power dynamic pricing must reveal the cost of electricity before any consumption. This is a focus targeting the aggregator-demand response system with future power grids.
But what any research scholars and subject practitioners feel dubious is the adverse impact in the stability of the model, both in the market as a whole and also upon the network system. This is because of the interpretation that the more is the demand for power networks, the more is the wild fluctuations to observe, which can trigger vita cost issues.
The role of Distribution System Operators in the future electricity
As said before, electricity must be affordable, efficient and sustainable. With the expansion of (Sofia et al., 2019)consumer knowledge and general awareness about how electricity generation is possible, it is paramount to find ways that will focus on producing only a renewable source of energy. Moreover, electricity sources from natural applications will be efficient and affordable as well.
But this is not as simple as said. From electrification and its transportation to real-time applications such as domestic devices heating, are heavily controlled through distribution networks. Excess power flow is the result of the same, particularly, in the aspects of low voltage phases. The 1 possible solution to achieve economically and also safe electricity is through generating energy from a transmission network control system.
Hence, to put it straight, DNOs should evolve into DSO (Distribution System Operators) and this will result in a design operation that is efficient and meets a customer’s need with accuracy and affordability. DSO controller processes are all about moving to a smart and flexible communication and electricity network shortly!
The Big Deal with 5G Technology Networks
Speaking of communications for power networks (Dragi evi et al., 2019) in the future, the world is awaiting a global change in its interaction models through 5G. The 5th Generation telecommunication (5G) is a wireless communication model, that will support large-scale obtainment of networks. High data connectivity, broader scope of coverage, faster networking possibilities, satisfactory energy efficiency, better security are the best features to cover in 5G! Now, what is the relationship between 5G and smart grids?
Both our present-day cellular models and the future-oriented 5G networking have a common line of similarity and that is critical application development. The communication between utilities and smart grids will be effective with improved business models and faster data connection.
With better research prospectus supporting a detailed analysis of both the former and the latter’s architecture will prove better applications of telecommunication and power networking in our future.
Last but not the least…
Safety measures to protect your data in the future
As we gained quite important values about the future of power system networking and control, safety (Das & Zeadally, 2019) and precautionary measures should be a note. Considering the high amount of data and communication mediums going to be used, there is a potential threat to users about the safety and security of information. Cyber security comes into play considering your data privacy. In the possibility of malicious adversaries of communication, likely that information deletion, modification, interception or even stealing data is possible by unknown. Not to worry, as the following measures are responsible through subject-matter experts, electricity commissioners, research specialists, and engineering professionals, to work alongside with cybersecurity guards for data privacy:
- Taxonomy-based protection measures
- Authentication
- Develop systems for intrusion detection
- Key management
- Trust computing
- Privacy preservation
- Strict access control
With tested measures to safety and privacy, users are sure to witness a secured environment where affordability and efficiency are not barriers to communicate with your close ones!
References
- Amini, M.H., Talari, S., Arasteh, H., Mahmoudi, N., Kazemi, M., Abdollahi, A., Bhattacharjee, V., Shafie-Khah, M., Siano, P. & Catalão, J.P.S. (2019). Demand Response in Future Power Networks: Panorama and State-of-the-art. In: [Online]. pp. 167–191. Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-319-98923-5_10.
- Das, A.K. & Zeadally, S. (2019). Data Security in the Smart Grid Environment. In: Pathways to a Smarter Power System. [Online]. Elsevier, pp. 371–395. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/B9780081025925000132.
- Dragi evi, T., Siano, P. & Prabaharan, S.R. (2019). Future generation 5G wireless networks for smart grid: a comprehensive review. Energies. [Online]. 12 (11). pp. 2140. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/11/2140.
- Muttaqi, K.M., Islam, M.R. & Sutanto, D. (2019). Future Power Distribution Grids: Integration of Renewable Energy, Energy Storage, Electric Vehicles, Superconductor, and Magnetic Bus. IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity. [Online]. 29 (2). pp. 1–5. Available from: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8629960/.
- Sofia, Wendy, Julian & Gerard (2019). SP Energy Networks. International Conference on Electricity Distribution. [Online]. 3 (6). Available from: https://www.cired-repository.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12455/695/CIRED 2019 – 2028.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.
- Subramanian, V., Das, T.K., Kwon, C. & Gosavi, A. (2019). A data-driven methodology for dynamic pricing and demand response in electric power networks. Electric Power Systems Research. [Online]. 174. pp. 105869. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378779619301828.