A Blockchain Based Platform for Network Flexibility Management in Power Distribution: A Real Application Scenario

Abstract

In the latest years, the huge increase of renewable energy sources introduces new challenges for smart grid management, which is changing is traditional and consolidated “centralized” approach, where system operators are the managers of the grid and the power flow is unidirectional, in a “decentralized” one, where customers become active players and there is a need to draw energy from multiple localized energy networks. This energy transition requires the development of decentralized solutions and active participation of prosumer and their own assets. Local energy flexibility markets can help in monitoring energy flows, incentivize prosumers' energy supply and demand, support the DSOs in the management of the local network issues and in the optimization of electricity flows. In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based full stack solution for the implementation of an open and fair flexibility market and a secure smart grid data management, in which the entire architecture leverages on blockchain technologies and smart contracts for the certification of the market actions and network measurements, as well as the incentivization during the settlement phase. In addition, the proposed solution includes a smart device named Light Node, which includes a blockchain node and can reads, arranges, certifies in blockchain, and sends the measurement and data provided in a secure and efficient way. The entire solution, implemented in the context of the H2020 Platone project, was already deployed, integrated, and tested on the field in a real scenario in Rome (Italy).