IoT-Enabled Smart Energy Grid: Applications and Challenges

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly emerging field of technologies that delivers numerous cutting-edge solutions in various domains including the critical infrastructures. Thanks to the IoT, the conventional power system network can be transformed into an effective and smarter energy grid. In this article, we review the architecture and functionalities of IoT-enabled smart energy grid systems. Specifically, we focus on different IoT technologies including sensing, communication, computing technologies, and their standards in relation to smart energy grid. This article also presents a comprehensive overview of existing studies on IoT applications to the smart grid system. Based on recent surveys and literature, we observe that the security vulnerabilities related to IoT technologies have been attributed as one of the major concerns of IoT-enabled energy systems. Therefore, we review the existing threat and attack models for IoT-enabled energy systems and summarize mitigation techniques for those security vulnerabilities. Finally, we highlight how advanced technologies (e.g., blockchain, machine learning, and artificial intelligence) can complement IoT-enabled energy systems to be more resilient and secure and overcome the existing difficulties so that they become more effective, robust, and reliable in operation. Precisely, this article will help understand the framework for IoT-enabled smart energy system, associated security vulnerabilities, and prospects of advanced technologies to improve the effectiveness of smart energy systems.