Software Defined Networking Architecture for Energy Transaction in Smart Microgrid Systems

Riaan Roux (), Thomas O. Olwal () and Daniel S. P. Chowdhury
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Riaan Roux: Department of Electrical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0183, South Africa
Thomas O. Olwal: Department of Electrical Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0183, South Africa
Daniel S. P. Chowdhury: The Independent Institute of Education (IIEMSA), School of Engineering, Science and Health (SESH), Roodepoort, Johannesburg 1724, South Africa and S5 Enterprises (Pty) Ltd., Cape Town 7700, South Africa

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-25

Abstract: A decentralized power distribution network consisting of smart microgrids introduces opportunities to trade with energy called transactive energy. However, research studies in the existing literature suggest that several standardized information models for TE do not meet the network architecture’s reliability, flexibility, and security requirements. This limitation is mainly due to the static nature of traditional IP infrastructure. To achieve these requirements in the network architecture, this study investigates the optimized application of software-defined network architecture for transactive energy in smart microgrid systems. Through literature research, unique design approaches in an SDN architecture are identified that improve the reliability, flexibility, and security of the SDN architecture. These design approaches include a decentralized controller network layout, redundant link configuration, a mesh network topology, and data encryption. The proposed solution uniquely combines these design approaches into a single optimized SDN solution for TESMS. To validate the improvements of the findings from the literature research, each design approach is simulated in this study using Mininet SDN emulator and AnyLogic system simulation software. The proposed solution is then applied to a use-case scenario that shows the improvements required for TESMS. The use-case scenario shows significant improvement in the data path uptime. An improvement of 0.27% is achieved, which equates to a 2 h per month increase in the data path uptime. The results of the simulation show that the proposed SDN architecture improves the reliability and flexibility of a traditional SDN network. Furthermore, enabling encryption between the nodes improves the security of the SDN architecture.

Keywords: transactive energy; smart micro grid; software-defined network; SD-WAN; network design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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