Towards enhanced power grid management via more dynamic and flexible edge computations

In the last few years cloud computing has become of great interest to the electricity sector. Edge computing (and its close cousin, Fog computing) is a complement to cloud computing: it exploits devices at the logical ends of networks. This paper outlines the potential for edge computing to help power grids. It overviews power grids and the “smart grid”, including how grids are getting increasingly stressed. It then explains the limitations of information and communications technology (ICT) in today's grids and how much better ICT can help them. The Fog Pillars are then analyzed in how they can help power grids. Finally, This paper explains candidate algorithms for edge computing, broken down by ICT platform services, power services, and power applications.