Implementing a blockchain-based local energy market: Insights on communication and scalability
Meeuw A, Schopfer S, Wörner A, Ableitner L, Tiefenbeck V, Fleisch E, Wortmann F (2020)
Publication Language: English
Publication Status: In press
Publication Type: Journal article, Editorial
Future Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2020
Journal
Publisher: Elsevier
Book Volume: 160
Pages Range: 158-171
DOI: 10.1016/j.comcom.2020.04.038
Abstract
Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy markets are gaining interest in the energy
sector as a means to increase the share of decentralised energy
resources (DER), thus fostering a clean, resilient and decentralised
supply of energy. Various reports have touted P2P energy markets as
ideal use case for blockchain-technology, as it offers advantages such
as fault-tolerant operation, trust delegation, immutability,
transparency, resilience, and automation. However, relatively little is
known about the influence of hardware and communication infrastructure
limitations on blockchain systems in real-life applications. In this
article, we demonstrate the implementation of a real-world blockchain
managed microgrid in Walenstadt, Switzerland. The 37 participating
households are equipped with 75 special smart-metres that include single
board computers (SBC) that run their own, application-specific private
blockchain. Using the field-test setup, we provide an empirical
evaluation of the feasibility of a Byzantine fault tolerant blockchain
system. Furthermore, we artificially throttle bandwidth between nodes to
simulate how the bandwidth of communication infrastructure impacts its
performance. We find that communication networks with a bandwidth
smaller than 1000 kbit/s – which includes WPAN, LoRa, narrowband IoT,
and narrowband PLC – lead to insufficient throughput of the operation of
a blockchain-managed microgrid. While larger numbers of validators may
provide higher decentralisation and fault-tolerant operation, they
considerably reduce throughput. The results from the field-test in the
Walenstadt microgrid show that the blockchain running on the smart-metre
SBCs can provide a maximum throughput of 10 transactions per second.
The blockchain throughput halts almost entirely if the system is run by
more than 40 validators. Based on the field test, we provide simplified
guidelines for utilities or grid operators interested in implementing
local P2P markets based on BFT systems.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Switzerland (CH)How to cite
APA:
Meeuw, A., Schopfer, S., Wörner, A., Ableitner, L., Tiefenbeck, V., Fleisch, E., & Wortmann, F. (2020). Implementing a blockchain-based local energy market: Insights on communication and scalability. Computer Communications, 160, 158-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comcom.2020.04.038
MLA:
Meeuw, Arne, et al. "Implementing a blockchain-based local energy market: Insights on communication and scalability." Computer Communications 160 (2020): 158-171.
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