Smart Grid Communication Infrastructures

13Open Issues and Possible Future Research Directions

There are still several challenges and issues to be addressed in the smart grid communications infrastructure. In this chapter, we will present some of the open issues and point out possible directions for future research.

13.1 Efficient and Secure Cloud Services and Big Data Analytics

In the proposed information communications technology (ICT) framework, cloud services and big data analytics will be critical components of the smart grid communication infrastructure. Considering the amount of data and the scale of the grid, ways to achieve efficient and cost‐effective cloud services have yet to be studied. The exact techniques of big data analytics also need to be developed specifically for metering data as well as useful data from external sources. With those techniques, accurate price and energy forecasts can be made to enhance demand response and the operational efficiency of the grid as well. Besides efficiency, security is an equally important issue to be considered when developing cloud services and techniques for big data analytics so that the privacy of customers can be protected.

13.2 Quality‐of‐Service Framework

The quality‐of‐service (QoS) in the smart grid can be defined by the accuracy and effectiveness with which different pieces of information (such as the state of equipment, load information, and power pricing) are delivered in a timely manner to the respective parties. The QoS framework can be developed by identifying ...