Abstract
Smart Grids (SGs) constitute the evolution of the traditional electrical grid towards a new paradigm, which should increase the reliability, the security and, at the same time, reduce the costs of energy generation, distribution and consumption. Electrical microgrids (MGs) can be considered the first stage of this evolution of the grid, because of the intelligent management techniques that must be applied to assure their correct operation. To accomplish this task, sensors and actuators will be necessary, along with wireless communication technologies to transmit the measured data and the command messages. Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WSANs) are therefore a promising solution to achieve an intelligent management of MGs and, by extension, the SG. In this frame, this paper surveys several aspects concerning the application of WSANs to manage MGs and the electrical grid, as well as the communication protocols that could be applied. The main concerns regarding the SG deployment are also presented, including future scenarios where the interoperability of different generation technologies must be assured.
Highlights
The raising need of energy, the diminution of the fossil resources and greenhouse effects imply the necessity to find complementary energy sources
In addition to their low-cost and easiness of deployment, Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WSANs) are adapted to the management of electrical grids because they can be deployed over a large area, covering the different feeders and buses of the network
It is interesting to point to another challenge concerning the application of WSANs to grid management: the limited resources of sensor nodes, which are constrained by energy availability, memory size and processing capacity
Summary
Alvaro Llaria 1, *, Guillaume Terrasson 1 , Octavian Curea 1 and Jaime Jiménez 2. Ecole Supérieure des Technologies Industrielles Avancées (ESTIA), Technopole Izarbel, 64210 Bidart, France;. Received: 28 December 2015; Accepted: 8 February 2016; Published: 23 February 2016
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have