Edge-cloud computing application, architecture, and challenges in ubiquitous power Internet of Things demand response

Abstract

Demand response (DR) is an effective way to control demand-side resources for power grids through advanced information and communication technologies. In the context of ubiquitous power Internet of Things (UPIoT), single cloud computing can hardly meet the requirements of large-scale real-time data processing in DR. Edge computing is a computing paradigm that deploys computing resources on the edge of the network, and its combination with cloud computing will help improve the ability of the power system to process large-scale sensor data. However, there is currently no comprehensive investigation on the application of edge computing technology in UPIoT DR. In this paper, the concept of DR and recent advances in the context of UPIoT are introduced first. Besides, the concept of edge-cloud computing (ECC) is introduced. Then, a comprehensive review of the existing work on DR based on ECC is presented. Furthermore, according to the existing work of Internet of Things (IoT) architecture based on ECC, a DR edge-cloud collaborative control architecture is proposed to meet the demand of UPIoT for ubiquitous perception and intelligent control. On this basis, the challenges in the practical application of edge computing in the UPIoT DR are introduced.