From Smart Grid to Internet of Energy

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Chapter 1

Introduction to smart grid and internet of energy systems

Abstract

The degraded conventional power grid has required transformation and modernizations depending to increased energy demand. Since the conventional grid is most commonly dependent to fossil-fuel based generation plants, it caused hazardous outcomes such as carbon emission and pollutions deteriorating the environment. Extensive researches and developments have brought a novel grid type called smart grid that allows integrating renewable energy sources (RESs), achieving distributed generation (DG), remote monitoring, remote control, and associating information and communication technologies (ICT) throughout the power network.

The everlasting evolution of utility grid requires sophisticated control and communication infrastructures. The Internet of Energy (IoE) or Energy Internet (EI) that both implies same concept has been proposed as a solution to meet requirements of business and industry players. The IoE is assumed as an evolution of smart grid by integration of internet protocols and computational methods to generation, transmission, distribution and consumption levels of utility grid. This chapter introduces smart grid architecture and components in terms of physical devices and ICTs.

Keywords

Smart grid; Renewable energy sources; Demand side management; Demand response; Information and communication technologies; Sensor networks; Smart meters; Phasor measurement unit; Internet of energy (IoE); Energy internet (EI)

Chapter outline

1.1Introduction

1.2Overview of smart grid evolution

1.2.1Architecture of smart grid

1.2.2Distributed generation and microgrid

1.2.3Transmission and distribution networks

1.2.4Energy storage systems

1.2.5Control, interoperability and flexibility

1.3Fundamental components of smart grids

1.3.1Smart sensors and sensor networks

1.3.2Phasor measurement units

1.3.3Smart meters

1.3.4Wireless sensor networks

1.4Evolution of internet of energy concept

1.5Energy internet as smart grid 2.0

References

1.1 Introduction

The energy demand is intensively increased since a few decades due to improving industrial consumption and residential usages. On the contrary, the environmental concerns and regulations are playing pivotal role on energy generation and consumption policies. The conventional power grid is composed of widely used large scale power plants, aging transmission lines, traditional substation management systems, and consumers that have no chance to act in generation cycle. The traditional power grid either had to be comprehensively rehabilitated which could cost billions of dollars or would be revised to a new and improved grid structure that has been enriched by intelligent solutions.

Under these circumstances, the Smart Grid term has been first appeared late 1990s and early 2000s as a concept making the existing power grid smarter. This improvement was aiming to tackle power quality, reliability, resiliency, and flexibility problems of power grid against increasing energy demand and control requirements. The bulk generation should meet this power demand itself, and aged transmission and distribution systems were expected to handle this heavy duty while consumers were requesting high quality of service. This big picture has promoted improvement and enhancement of Smart Grid by two brilliant idea: two-way flow of power and communication signals. The Smart Grid can be summarized by these two contributions if we want to explain in the widest sense. However, to obtain a power grid with two-way power flow and two-way communication infrastructure is much more complicated than summarizing with a few words. The Smart Grid architecture requires widespread technologies for each infrastructure of generation, transmission, distribution, and consumers. The distributed generation and microgrid concepts are the most prominent concepts supporting to accomplish two-way power flow task. Therefore, consumers can be converted to prosumers that do not only consume the energy but also participate to power generation by constructing their own distributed generation plants with several micro sources such as renewable energy sources (RESs), energy storage systems (ESSs), and conventional generation plants and so on. Inevitably, communication technologies are involved for measurement, monitoring, and control aims in such a scenario where the prosumers either consume or generate. These improvements are assumed as the most important contributions of intelligent systems to existing power grid to comprise the Smart Grid concept [1].

In the early times of Smart Grid researches, it has announced with several names such as intelligent grid, future grid, intelligrid, and intergrid by different research groups [2]. However, Smart Grid has been widely accepted and assumes as a standard definition of this new power grid technology [1]. It will be useful to remember some perspectives of conventional grid before describing Smart Grid infrastructure.

The traditional power grid is comprised by four main infrastructures which are generation, transmission, distribution and consumption layers. This infrastructure is survived by large generation plants that are installed at several MW power levels, and it is connected to a transmission substation where the transmission system is get started [3]. The transmission line is responsible for delivering required power to distribution substations to feed the generated power to several distribution networks. Consequently, the connection between generation and consumption layers is managed by the intermediate layers. The typical transmission systems are designed to operate in large voltage operating voltage levels ranging from 150 to 765 kV while the distribution networks operate at 11–110 kV voltage ranges. The traditional power grid is unidirectional in terms of power flow since distributed generation (DG) sources have not been allowed to participate in this system. Moreover, the electricity price is determined by utility system operators where customers had no chance to choose their electricity tariff [4].

On the contrary to increasing demand and consumption rates, the central generation approach used in traditional power grid was not sufficient to meet the requirements of growing societies. In addition to generation, the control process of traditional grid was not appropriate for the aging power networks since it has been installed according to manual monitoring and manual restoration approaches due to limited control ability [2]. The schematic diagram of traditional power grid has been illustrated in Fig. 1.1 to visualize generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption levels. This hierarchical architecture is installed in a unidirectional structure allowing power flow from large and central generators to consumers over transmission and distribution lines. The centralized generation sources are mostly based on conventional and fossil fuel-based plants such as thermal, diesel or combined heat and power (CHP) cogeneration plants, nuclear power plants, hydro plants or similar generators. The generated power is firstly increased to extra high voltage levels to prevent transmission line losses to seriously decrease the power level.

Fig. 1.1 Overview of traditional power grid.

The transmission line voltages can be at 765, 500, 345, 230, and 138 kV depending to distances and grid codes of utilization. While the transmission substations are required to increase the voltage levels to carry high power, the distribution substations and transformers decrease the voltage level. The voltage levels of distribution network vary according to load and consumer types where substation consumers are fed by 69 and 33 kV, primary consumers at 11 and 4 kV level, and secondary or namely residential and industrial loads are supplied with 0.4 kV voltage level. The architecture of traditional power grid is mostly assumed in a vertical structure to describe unidirectional power flow. However, we describe the traditional power network horizontal since the Smart Grid is vertical due to its multilayer architecture comprised by information and communication technologies (ICT) layer and control and management layer [3]. The comparison prominent grid features are compared for traditional and Smart Grids in Table 1.1 [5]. The limited control and monitoring features of traditional grid have forced independent system operators (ISOs) and regional transmission operators (RTOs) to improve communication capabilities of existing power network to obtain more flexible system. In the 1980s, advanced metering requirements have been improved to provide averaging on power prices and the limitations of tariff selection has been removed. In the late 1990s, environmental concerns have increased to prevent fossil fuel-based generation that was one of the milestone to improve distributed generation, demand side management, and decentralized control and monitoring operations. Thus, a new grid concept researches have been intensively started.

Table 1.1

The distributed generation and decentralized control were main drivers of RES usage in power generation. Besides, the microgrid term has been improved in early 2000s that aided to increase capacity and resiliency of existing power grid. Therefore, it was possible to mention about two-way power flow and two-way communication options in the improved power grid infrastructure that is named as Smart Grid. The improvements have also provided self-healing and widespread control capabilities to this new power grid due to high number of sensor usage almost at each node and line of whole grid. Once a failure occurred in any section of network, the sensors detect the failure and protection system manages power flow by comprising new relaying paths for power. This control capability is provided three major technical infrastructures of Smart Grid that are smart infrastructure, smart management and smart control systems. The smart infrastructure definition stands for power and ICT interfaces that are responsible for advanced generation, distribution and consumption. On the other hand, the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), monitoring, management, and communication technologies also comprise the smart infrastructure. The smart management system is related with monitoring, management, and decision-making subsystems along the power network. The smart protection system provides failure detection and protection, security and privacy protection, services, and system analysis during the operation of power network [1, 2].

The tailored architecture of Smart Grid is provided by intensive control and communication systems that make it able to react to any change in any section of grid. It improves reliability and resiliency of degraded generation sections by allowing to penetration of distributed generation sources and microgrid applications. Thus, security, reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of entire power network are ensured. This chapter presents an overview of Smart Grid evolution with its architectural structure in general, fundamental components of new grid structure, applications and requirements, and an introduction to internet of energy concept. The evolution of Internet of Energy (IoE) is presented in an overview section that we describe this new concept as Smart Grid 2.0.

1.2 Overview of smart grid evolution

It is assumed that the first definition and description of Smart Grid has been regulated by Energy Independence and Security Act of US Government in 2007 [6]. The general perspective and characteristic features have been defined in 10 items as,

(1)Increased use of digital information and controls technology to improve reliability, security, and efficiency of the electric grid.

(2)Dynamic optimization of grid operations and resources, with full cyber-security.

(3)Deployment and integration of distributed resources and generation, including renewable resources.

(4)Development and incorporation of demand response, demand-side resources, and energy-efficiency resources.

(5)Deployment of smart technologies (real-time, automated, interactive technologies that optimize the physical operation of appliances and consumer devices) for metering, communications concerning grid operations and status, and distribution automation.

(6)Integration of smart appliances and consumer devices.

(7)Deployment and integration of advanced electricity storage and peak-shaving technologies, including plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and thermal-storage air conditioning.

(8)Provision to consumers of timely information and control options.

(9)Development of standards for communication and interoperability of appliances and equipment connected to the electric grid, including the infrastructure serving the grid.

(10)Identification and lowering of unreasonable or unnecessary barriers to adoption of Smart Grid technologies, practices, and services.

It has been declared as a policy of US Government to modernize the electricity transmission and distribution system to maintain a reliable and secure electricity infrastructure that can meet future demand growth and to achieve each of the following, which together characterize a Smart Grid. These items summarize the technical merits of Smart Grid infrastructure in terms of characteristic features. The digital control and information technologies are widely used in Smart Grid applications to increase reliability, security, and efficiency of power grid. It was well-known that security of this cyber-physical system (CPS) is depended to dynamic optimization of grid operations and sources. Therefore, demand response (DR), demand side management (DSM), deployment of distributed source in generation and deployment of smart technologies such as remote monitoring, advanced metering, and distribution automation control have been described as crucial characteristics of a Smart Grid system. In addition to contributions in generation, transmission, and distribution systems; the consumption level is also considered in Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The consumer devices and appliances should be converted to smart ones while improving the existing power grid.

The smart appliances, smart applications, and smart devices are targeted to convert consumers to prosumers that plays active role in Smart Grid environment. The prosumers can install their microgrid plants with RES and distributed micro-sources, and thus they can participate to generation and increasing the grid efficiency with their plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), smart home management systems, AMIs, smart meters, and smart appliances. The advanced metering systems that are improved technologies of regular automated meter reading (AMR) and automatic meter management (AMM) systems provide increased accessibility for DSM operations in distribution network operators (DNOs). A robust communication infrastructure is involved to accomplish these tasks while converting the conventional power network to Smart Grid. The advanced and sophisticated communication systems are operated either in wireline or wireless mediums in Smart Grid infrastructure. The wireline communication technologies include power line communication, fiber optics, ethernet or digital subscriber lines (DSLs) while the wireless communication is provided by wireless personal area network (WPAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), IEEE 802.22 protocol wireless regional area network (WRAN), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMax), cellular and satellite based or several other IEEE 802.15 based technologies.

IEEE 2030-2011 standard describes communication architecture for Smart Grid in a hierarchical arrangement of applications, services, and infrastructures. It is required to create a consensus of numerous technologies and to refine them into some limited ICT infrastructures. Thus, the Smart Grid communication systems have been described with three subnetworks where the first one includes building area networks (BAN), home area network (HAN), and industrial area networks (IAN). These area networks are defined to be used in consumption level while neighborhood area network (NAN) and field area network (FAN) comprises the local area network (LAN) that is utilized in distribution level of the power network. The last and widest network type is described as wide area network (WAN) which is used for communicating in several km distances and includes a number of LANs, virtual private networks (VPNs) and data management systems (DMSs) for transmission level operation [1, 7].

The operation of Smart Grid is depended to several intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), smart transformers, smart power converters, phasor measurement units (PMUs), and remote terminal units (RTUs) that all are equipped with sensors to provide required measurement and monitoring information to control center. Thus, the entire power network is converted to an adaptive, flexible, predictive, interactive, secure and self-healing system. The Smart Grid is sometimes defined as system of systems due to these features. The smart systems support all types of generation and energy storage options to perform two-way power flow in this new grid architecture. Moreover, it also provides resilient operation against CPS attacks by predicting possible faults and failures along the grid, and rapidly reacts to these changes or attacks to overcome faults occurred at any level.

This section presents architecture and conceptual models of Smart Grid, introduction to distributed generation and microgrid structure, smart devices used in transmission and distribution networks, energy storage systems, and control, resiliency, and flexibility features in terms of Smart Grid evolution.

1.2.1 Architecture of smart grid

European Committee for Standardization (CEN), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), and European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) are requested to develop a standard framework for Smart Grid, and they have provided one of the most prominent reference architecture for Smart Grid by the Smart Grid Coordination Group (SG-CG) to accomplish European Commission requirements on new grid infrastructure. The Smart Grid Reference Document of CENELEC presents a detailed conceptual model and reference architecture principles, Smart Grid architecture model framework, and reference architecture elements to improve a standardized research infrastructure for any shareholder of power grid [8].

Another important reference guide has been presented by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of US because of Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 in 2010. The main contribution of NIST report was related to proposing roadmap for interoperability and standards of Smart Grid. In this context, a conceptual reference model has been proposed and it has been used as a standard architecture to define Smart Grid infrastructure [9]. The conceptual reference model of NIST has proposed a interconnected network where each shareholder and section has been defined as a domain and whole Smart Grid has been divided into seven domains as presented in Table 1.2. The main goal of conceptual model is to provide support for planning and organization of domains and their sub domains including shareholders, participants, and applications. The shareholders that are defined as actors in NIST model describe the infrastructure including devices, systems and operation software to manage the whole system. On the other hand, the operations are performed by one or more shareholders in any domain division. The remote monitoring, smart metering, energy generation with distributed sources and RESs, energy storage and management are assumed as the operations and applications in the conceptual model. The shareholders and actors in the same domain systems are responsible for similar objectives. The bulk generation, transmission, distribution, and consumer domains are connected with power and communication networks while the other domains are interconnected by using only communication flow that is based on two-way signal flow [9].

Table 1.2

The domain infrastructure and interaction of domains is illustrated in Fig. 1.2 regarding to NIST conceptual reference model. The power flow of conceptual reference model is depicted in lower horizontal plans starting from bulk generation to consumer domains. In any Smart Grid architecture, theses domains include central generators in generation domain, substation transformers in Transmission Domain, substations and distributed generation plants as microgrid integration in distribution domain, and micro-sources and ESSs in consumer domain. The Distribution Domain also includes distribution management systems, ISOs and RTOs which are mainly located in Markets and Operations domains. On the other hand, the Consumer Domain includes smart meters and smart energy management systems.

Fig. 1.2 Power flow (dotted line) and communication flow along Smart Grid domains.

The proposed conceptual reference model of NIST is not only a framework to define domains and shareholders, but also an efficient roadmap to comprise a Smart Grid architecture complying with regulations, standards, and interoperability requirements along the grid codes. The upper layer of conceptual reference model shown in Fig. 1.2 is mostly related with communication and operation bases. The Markets Domain is equipped by ISO and RTO participants that are in connection with ISO and RTOs comprising Operations Domain. The business objectives, investment and installation plans and modernizing the existing grid infrastructure are decided with the interaction of Markets and Operation Domains. The transmission and distribution operations are also located in Operation Domain in addition to ISO and RTO operations. The transmission operations are comprised by energy management systems and WAMs that interact with Transmission Domain over enterprise bus and transmission Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). The distribution operation in Operation Domain includes DMS, metering data management system (MDMS), DR and asset management systems. These systems interact with lower horizontal domains over metering system and distribution SCADA infrastructures using WAN and FAN connections [9].

The Service Provider Domain includes utility provider and third-party provider applications both including customer information service (CIS) and billing services. The utility provider applications are comprised by these services while the third-party provider applications include additional home/building management, aggregation and other related services. Service Provider Domain interacts with Operation Domain over enterprise communication bus or internet-based connections. According to the NIST conceptual reference model, the communication applications along domains are performed by gateway actors, information networks, and communication paths. The gateway actors are responsible to interaction between different domains by using several communication protocols and services. The implemented networks are called information networks which is a collection of communication devices, ICT systems, and network servers. Moreover, communication paths describe the secure communication infrastructures and data exchange between domains and ICT devices [9].

The European Commission has requested from CENELEC to develop a Smart Grid reference model as a standard for interoperability as like NIST conceptual model. CENELEC has comprised a research group and put into action this reference model by handling interoperability concerns at first. The interoperability categories have been defined into three branches as technical, informational and organizational divisions. The technical interoperability category comprises fundamental physical and logical connections by three subcategories that are described as basic connectivity, networks interoperability, and syntactic interoperability. These three subcategories out of eight establish physical connection, exchange message control, and implementing data structures along exchanged messages. The informational interoperability category provides semantic understanding and business context by using message data structures presented from technical interoperability section. The organizational interoperability level as the highest layer among others includes business procedures, business objectives, and economic policies. The interoperability sections are illustrated in Fig. 1.3 where the conceptual framework model of GridWise Architecture Council reference have been developed regarding to refined three different interoperability layers as seen on the left-hand side of figure. The summarized sections are titled as technical, informational, and organizational layer that are interfacing eight component and communication layers. Each layer covers any smart grid plane related to architecture model in terms of power flow or communication signal flow.

Fig. 1.3 Interoperability framework of GridWise Architecture Council [10].

The component layer is physical structure of Smart Grid context similarly the lower horizontal domains of NIST model presented in Fig. 1.2. This layer includes bulk generation, transmission, distribution, and consumer domains with their required and related devices used for metering, monitoring, control, and protection objectives. Moreover, the communication connections comprising CPS are also located at this layer. The communication layer hosts protocols and interoperability mechanisms for ICT devices and related services, data management interfaces and components are located at this layer. The information layer defines data models for information exchange between functions, services, and devices. Thus, semantic understanding and business context are managed and interoperability of information exchange is performed at this layer. The function layer includes required functions and services to comprise an architectural viewpoint as its name implies. The business layer meets the markets and operation domain of NIST conceptual model where it is used to determine paths for policies, business models, involved products and services, and decision-making actions [8].

On the contrary of NIST architecture model, European Smart Grid architecture is described in a three-dimensional structure due to interoperability layers and zone definitions. The basic smart grid plane is comprised by domains and zones as shown in Fig. 1.4. The domains include SGAM component, communication, information, function, and business layers. The domains except DER is like NIST model while DER domain is comprised by small-scale power generation plants up to 10 MW generation capacity. The customer premises may also include micro-sources in terms of generation that enables customers to participate in generation.

Fig. 1.4 SGAM model and its application in INTEGRA Meta-model [11].

The contribution of CENELEC architecture model represents zones that are describing hierarchical levels of power grid management at process, field, station, operation, enterprise, and market levels are modeled in a project titled INTEGRA and layers are operated as seen in Fig. 1.4. [8, 11]. The Process Zone includes energy generation methodologies by using chemical, fuel based, renewable sources. The power generation and management equipments such as generators, substations, circuit breakers, overhead lines, distribution transformers, sensors, and measurement devices are also located in Process Zone. The Field Zone of CENELEC model is comprised by protection, control, and monitoring devices such as relays, IEDs, data processors, data acquisition devices, and aggregators. The Substation Zone represents area aggregation based on field level acquisition obtained from data concentrators, substation automation, SCADA systems, and plant supervisors. The Operation Zone is comprised by high level control systems such as DMS, energy management systems (EMSs), microgrid management systems, DER managements and other related management systems. The Enterprise Zone interacts between Operation and Market Zones by providing commercial and organizational processes, services, and applications while Market Zone is dedicated to energy conversion operations such as trading, retail market and mass management.

In addition to NIST and CENELEC conceptual architecture models, IEEE have proposed a guide for Smart Grid interoperability, end-use applications, and loads based on IEEE Standard 2030. This standard a Smart Grid interoperability reference model (SGIRM) that is a reference guide for describing terminology, characteristic features, performance evaluation criteria, and application principles for end-user applications and loads [12]. IEEE Standard 2030 handles a Smart Grid system as a system of systems including power networks, communication technologies, and information technologies. Thus, the power and signal flow along power network are defined with the classification and characteristic features in terms of interoperability. Another aspect of system of systems description is related with smart infrastructure systems, smart management systems, and smart protection systems definitions given in [1]. The smart infrastructure system is comprised by ICT and power networks at each domain of Smart Grid system while the smart management system includes control and protection subsystems that are required to ensure power quality and resiliency of power network. The smart protection system includes particular security and privacy protections for whole power grid at hardware and software domains [1].

It is obvious that the communication infrastructure has crucial role in Smart Grid applications and services that are involved to coordinate each domain and zones. It has been previously discussed that the services and applications of Smart Grid installs a connection base with each domain by using area networks. Regardless of any grid type integrated to predefined Smart Grid architecture, IEEE Standard 2030 accommodates a synchronous operation among different frameworks and architectures in the context of interoperability requirements. It suggests a three-layer vertical organization scheme as shown in Fig. 1.5 where IEEE Standard 2030 Smart Grid Interoperability Guidance is in the middle of conceptual reference model and Smart Grid Applications. The conceptual reference models of NIST, IEC, IEEE, CENELEC and so on should comply with IEEE Standard 2030 interoperability guidance for communication, power network and ICT segments. The architectural principles of Smart Grid are described in 12 terms by IEEE Standard 2030 as standardization, openness, interoperability, security, extensibility, scalability, manageability, upgradeability, share ability, ubiquity, integrity, and ease of use [12].

Fig. 1.5 IEEE Standard 2030-2011 Smart Grid interoperability.

The standardization implies for the definitions of elements and methods used in the Smart Grid infrastructure to provide clearness while openness is required for generating a standard technology which is available for each stakeholder. The interoperability describes the standardization of interfaces and applications without depending to any geographical, preferable or methodological difference in the use of system. The security is required to prevent unauthorized access and interference to the system operation to improve information privacy and security policies. The extensibility of Smart Grid architecture is requested to enable the infrastructure to adopt newly discovered and developed applications while scalability implies for expansion capability of infrastructure against integration of new power plants to existing network.

The manageability conditions of Smart Grid architecture include configuration and management capability of each component throughout the infrastructure, fault isolation and remote management abilities. The interoperability guidance layer accommodates connection to any Smart Grid application including AMI, PEVs, and home energy management system (HEMS). Thus, interoperability brings the ability of any networks, applications, services, devices, and systems to communicate by using the ICT in a secure and reliable way. The Smart Grid interoperability infrastructure is expected to incorporate with hardware and software systems, several data transmission systems, and data exchange networks. The ICT interaction of interoperability is improved regarding to Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) reference model where functions are placed into seven layers, and layers are connected with service interfaces as done in the internet infrastructure [1, 12].

The communication networks providing connection along applications and conceptual reference models of Smart Grid architecture are illustrated in Fig. 1.6. The communication infrastructure includes core network, WAN, and private networks in component layer that is comprised by generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption levels. The ICT backbone network is composed of DSL and fiber optic wirelines connecting control and management systems of substations and plants. The particular control and management of applications are performed by using WAN, LAN, NAN, FAN, BAN, HAN and IAN type networks from bulk generation to consumption domains respectively [1, 13]. The generation system of Smart Grid includes DER integration in addition to conventional bulk generation and connects to transmission level by a step-up transformer as illustrated in Fig. 1.6. The ICT interface of generation and transmission level is accomplished by using WAN networks that provides the connection between domains and supervisory management system. The distribution and microgrid management systems are connected to distribution level and substations over LAN, NAN, and FAN networks. The distribution level includes microgrid and substation distribution that enables two-way power flow. The residential, industrial, and substation loads comprise the consumption level where communication interface to consumer side management systems are HAN for residential loads and BAN and IAN for industrial and substation loads. The main contribution of WAN is to install connection between substations, DERs, ESSs, feeders, transformers and other bulk equipments. The bandwidth of WAN is the highest among others and enables long distance data and control signal transmission with very low latency. NAN is essential to manage AMI networks to transmit measured consumer data such as demand rate, consumption level, and power quality while FAN is used to install a communication environment between backhaul and distribution networks services.

Fig. 1.6 Power network and communication ecosystem throughout Smart Grid.

Thus, data transmission between management system and distribution substations, feeder points, and services are accomplished by FAN networks. Another AMI network throughout Smart Grid ecosystem is located at consumption level where data transmissions such as smart meter, HEMS, EV and PHEV consumption, and microgrid generation rates of customers are acquired by using HAN networks. Table 1.3 presents a detailed list of wireline and wireless communication technologies, standards that rely on, data rates, transmission distances, network types that they are used, and comparisons in terms of advantages and disadvantages. The wireline communication technologies include power line communication (PLC), fiber optic, and DSL while wireless technologies are WPAN, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, GSM and satellite.

Table 1.3