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As the renewable energy consumption responsibility weight system is gradually implemented in various provinces, there is a closer intersection between the excess consumption and green certificates trading. Existing trading platforms can only meet the needs of green certificates trading. This single-platform solution is no longer sufficient to meet the trading requirements under this system. Consequently, this paper proposes a excess consumption and green certificates trading platform based on blockchain technology. This platform utilizes the decentralized, open, and anonymous characteristics of blockchain technology and rely on its smart contract capabilities to simultaneously meet the comprehensive trading needs of surplus consumption and green certificates trading through combining user-initiated transactions with platform-intelligent recommendations. It adapts to the complex excess consumption and green certificates trading market that has emerged following the issuance of the renewable energy consumption responsibility weighting policy. To conduct simulated transactions, 16 groups of buyers simulate a total of 215,792 excess consumption vouchers and 143,861 green certificates in this paper. The transaction results all meet the expected transaction scenarios under the conditions of smart recommendation, demonstrating the platform's transaction feasibility. [Display omitted] • Design a blockchain-based smart contract solution for volume consumption trading and green certificate trading. • Build a database containing 215,792 excess consumption vouchers and 143,861 green power certificates. • Simulate the purchase of 160 buyers by establish a transaction platform. • Analyzed the application direction of the data produced by the trading platform [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) electricity trading is an emerging means for allowing communities to share local energy production and demand response through direct trading. It is projected to play an important role in the future energy market by increasing the incentive to own and operate distributed energy resources (DERs) and participate in demand response (DR). A common approach to implementing P2P trading is with blockchain, however, existing solutions feature limitations. Typically, concerns involve either scalability and high transaction costs or projects implementing a permissioned blockchain that does not provide the trust and decentralization desired. In addition, the majority of market designs are simplified and do not capture the distinct complexity of electricity markets. They do not consider the inter-temporal constraints of appliances and DERs that need to run for multiple periods. Complex market designs that address these issues have not been implemented in blockchain based systems due to the computational limitations of such systems. To improve these two aspects, this paper proposes a market formulation that supports products running multiple periods with flexible scheduling, modeled as a mixed integer linear programming problem that optimizes social welfare. The trading platform is then implemented as a side chain of Polkadot, a network of blockchains designed to be secure, scalable, and economically feasible to foster an ecosystem of application-specific sidechains. This design is demonstrated to improve social welfare and achieve scalability by benchmarking the number of transactions that can be included per second, based upon typical assumptions of the market size. The result is a decentralized and performant system that allows for complex market designs to be implemented in a blockchain environment. This approach simplifies the process for participants, allowing them to bid DER or DR devices, directly and easily, even when this requires constraints across periods. • MILP optimization considering multi-period energy products and flexible scheduling. • Parachain of Polkadot blockchain for peer-to-peer energy trading. • Trust of a public blockchain but still has control over cost and throughput. • Demonstration of how off-chain market computation can be validated on blockchain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as wind, solar, batteries, etc. into the grid presents opportunities as well as challenges with regard to efficient coordination and trading. Virtual power plants (VPPs) have emerged as an important paradigm for aggregating and managing numerous DERs. This paper proposes a decentralized blockchain-based peer-to-peer (P2P) multilayer energy trading framework to facilitate optimized coordination of DERs within a VPP context. A control center, prosumers, and service operators constitute the model's multi-layered architecture. Profits from feed-in tariffs, ancillary services, and P2P sales are optimized for revenue while expenses are minimized using a mixed-integer linear programming formulation. Smart contracts enable prosumers to trade energy units in the Ethereum blockchain with ease via a participatory web platform. The effectiveness of the framework in synchronizing power supply and demand within the VPP by coordinating the charging and discharging of storage systems in accordance with consumption patterns is demonstrated through performance evaluation. In contrast to conventional centralized architectures, the proposed framework utilized decentralized architecture efficiently consolidates and optimizes distributed energy resources (DERs) to improve grid stability and renewable energy utilization. [Display omitted] • A novel multi-layer framework for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading, within VPP. • An interactive web-based trading platform using the Ethereum blockchain to facilitate exchange of energy units. • Implementation of MILP-based DER management model for optimal trading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) has dual aims to reduce emission production and stimulate adoption of long-term abatement technology. Whilst it has generally achieved its first aim, its issues are hindering the accomplishment of the second. Several solutions have been proposed to improve ETS’s efficacy, yet none of them have considered the advancement of Industry 4.0. This paper proposes a novel ETS model customised for Industry 4.0 integration. It incorporates blockchain technology to address ETS’s management and fraud issues whilst it utilizes a reputation system in a new approach to improve ETS efficacy. Specific design of how the blockchain technology and reputation system are used to achieve these objectives is showed within this paper. The case study demonstrates the inner working of reputation-based trading system—in which reputation signifies participants performance and commitment toward emission reduction effort. Multi-criteria analysis is used to evaluate the proposed scheme against conventional ETS model. The result shows that the proposed model is a feasible scheme and that the benefits of its implementation will outweigh its drawback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decentralized energy management can preserve the privacy of individual energy systems while mitigating computational and communication burdens. However, most decentralized energy management methods are partially decentralized and cannot ensure information exchange security. Therefore, this paper provides a secure fully decentralized energy management by using blockchain. First, a fully decentralized energy management framework using the optimality condition decomposition (OCD) is provided, in which individual energy system operators only exchange the boundary information with their peers rather than submitting proprietary information to a centralized system operator. Then, an asynchronous mechanism is proposed for updating the information exchange in OCD, enabling the proposed decentralized management to work under potential communication latency or interruption. Furthermore, the blockchain-based framework with state machine replication (SMR) based consensus algorithm is provided to safeguard the information exchange among individual energy systems in a secure and tamper-proof manner. The proposed decentralized energy management is tested on a multi-energy system with seven subsystems and a real-world multi-energy system in North China. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in privacy protection and data security enhancement. The proposed method can prevent the cost increase caused by cheating activities, which in some subsystems can reach 17.6%. Additionally, the proposed fully decentralized method outperforms the partially decentralized method by 37.7% in reducing computation time. Also demonstrated are the computational precision, scalability and adaptability of the proposed method. 1 Information about the data used in the case study of this paper, including how to access them, can be found in the Cardiff University data catalogue at http://doi.org/10.17035/d.2023.0247331015. 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Combined heat and power dispatch (CHPD) exploits the potential flexibility in the district heating system (DHS) and provides an economic-effective solution for wind accommodation. However, DHS operators bear extra operation cost, which have insufficient incentive to participate in CHPD in field practice. • A novel benefit allocation model based on the A-S method is proposed, which solves incentive issue among different agents. • An improve A-S method is proposed to enhance computation efficiency, which develops new solution scheme with the Gauss-Legendre quadrature formula. • Mutual trust is momentous in the process of benefit allocation. Once dishonest energy agents perform malicious behavior, the interests of honest energy agents are likely to be damaged, which triggers trust crisis among multiple energy agents. • A blockchain framework with the PoSo consensus is introduced to prevent potential malicious behavior during allocating benefit, which ensures mutual trust among multiple agents. Combined heat and power dispatch (CHPD) has attracted wide attention recently, which exploits the potential flexibility in the district heating system (DHS) and provides an economic-effective solution for better wind accommodation. However, DHS operators bear extra operation cost in CHPD, which is proved theoretically in this paper, so that they have insufficient incentive to coordinate with electrical power system. To cope with this issue, a cost allocation strategy based on the Aumann-Shapley value method is proposed, which can rationally allocate the benefit among multiple agents. And a new solution scheme with the Gauss-Legendre quadrature formula is developed to enhance computation efficiency. Also, considering the potential malicious behavior of dishonest agents in the process of allocation, the blockchain framework with Proof of Solution consensus mechanism is introduced to ensure mutual trust among multiple agents. Numerical simulations based on different cases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method of benefit allocation among multiple agents. In addition, the validity of the proposed blockchain framework in preventing malicious behavior when CHPD is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microgrid and blockchain alone and together enable collective energy communities. • Microgrid as local aggregator of control and communication with regulated grid. • Blockchain as interactive aggregator of large-scale framework and service in trust. • Survey on co-creation of microgrid-blockchain in research, applications and pilots. • Future trends are analyzed on microgrid-blockchain innovation in energy transition. Decarbonisation of energy sector is crucial to deliver the future net zero energy system with promoting and facilitating the large-scale electrification of end-user sectors. It is necessary to provide sustainable, cost-effective, resilient and scalable energy solutions to exploit the power of citizens to contribute to the clean energy transition, increasing the flexibility of the overall energy system. Energy community, as the new actor, create an integrated pan energy market by bringing together the local consumers and energy market players. However, diversity of energy community brings huge challenges in integration of decentralized renewables with regulated framework, interaction of decentralized marketplaces, as well as interoperability of the cross-border energy sectors with privacy, security and incentives. This paper intends to provide an in-depth investigation on the role of microgrid and blockchain, alone and together, in facilitating the energy community as the "enabling framework" to boost the potential solutions of electrification in the transportation, building, and industrial sectors, as well as rural/remote areas and islands towards a networking green ecosystem. This paper serves as a comprehensive reference to understand the modern microgrid on its control and communication technology with integration of blockchain services in promoting the techno-socio-economic innovations for the restructuring of the sustainable energy supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A distributed renewable energy system with heterogeneous end-users is proposed. • Demand flexibility of different sectors is reflected in system modelling. • Interaction among various users is studied with non-cooperative game. • Uncertainty of renewable generation is handled with receding horizon optimization. • Smart contracts and decentralized identifiers are implemented with blockchain. This paper studies the design and management of a distributed energy system incorporating renewable energy generation and heterogeneous end-users from residential, commercial and industrial sectors. A hierarchical framework is first proposed for the energy demand side management through peer-to-peer exchange of energy information in the real-time market. The heterogeneity of demand flexibility associated with different types of users is reflected in the framework with inter-sectorial interactions modelled by a non-cooperative game. The inherent uncertainty of renewable generation is also considered with the technique of receding horizon optimization. Subsequently, smart contracts and decentralized identifier guaranteed by blockchain technologies are implemented to create a seamless, secured and efficient distributed energy system. Finally, a Singapore-based case study is conducted and the results show that with effective interactions among participants, electricity consumption of the entire energy system closely tracks the generation pattern of renewable resources, resulting in a significantly flattened schedule of grid electricity procurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Energy demand side management is optimized to improve the system performance. • A game theoretic approach for distributed energy management is developed. • Energy supply constraints and storage facilities are evaluated. • Blockchain technology is applied for efficient and trustable micro-grid operation. • Decentralized energy supply and demand management is implemented in practice. Abstract The management of energy supply and demand is becoming more challenging, especially in regions where the demand continues to grow rapidly and more intermittent renewable supply sources are added to the energy infrastructure. In this context, Demand Side Management (DSM) can be employed to align supply and demand and improve reliability of the system under supply constraints and stretch the capacity limits of the existing grid infrastructure. A game theoretic approach for a DSM model incorporating storage components is suggested in this paper especially for environments with energy supply constraints. The proposed model is able to not only reduce the Peak-to-Average ratio to benefit the electrical grid, but can also smoothen the dips in the load profile caused by supply constraints. In a case study to demonstrate the value of the model presented, a variety of residential demand types are evaluated within a micro-grid to maximize the payoff utility of both individual users and the whole system. Moreover, emerging blockchain technologies are introduced to guarantee the seamless and secure implementation of the proposed scheme, illustrating how a decentralized demand side management approach could be implemented in practice to facilitate peer-to-peer transactions following optimized demand profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant increase in the installation and penetration of Renewable Energy Resources (RES) has raised intermittency and variability issues in the electric power grid. Solutions based on fast-response energy storage can be costly, especially when dealing with higher renewable energy penetration rate. The rising popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) also brings challenges to the system planning, dispatching and operation. Due to the random dynamic nature of electric vehicle charging and routing, electric vehicle load can be challenging to the power distribution operators and utilities. The bright side is that the load of EV charging is shiftable and can be leveraged to reduce the variability of renewable energy by consuming it locally. In this paper, we proposed a real-time system that incorporates the concepts of prioritization and cryptocurrency, named SMERCOIN, to incentivize electric vehicle users to collectively charge with a renewable energy-friendly schedule. The system implements a ranking scheme by giving charging priority to users with a better renewable energy usage history. By incorporating a blockchain-based cryptocurrency component, the system can incentivize user with monetary and non-monetary means in a flat-rate system. The effectiveness of the system mechanism has been verified by both numerical simulations and experiments. The system experiment has been implemented on campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for 15 months and the results show that the usage of solar energy has increased significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proved by recent works that reputation can help to improve the efficiency of blockchain and enhance the fairness of energy trading markets. However, the application of distributed reputation in the energy field has not been fully studied yet. In this paper, we design a distributed reputation system to simulate real-world trust in blockchain-based peer-to-peer energy trading. It is a comprehensive reputation system in the sense that reputation scores are decided by the behavior of participants as consensus nodes, energy buyer, and energy sellers. Its implementation relies on blockchain, especially the smart contract technology, to achieve distributed and automatic reputation management. The distributed reputation system in turn helps to implement a delegated consensus algorithm for blockchain and a reputation-based k -double auction matchmaking scheme for peer-to-peer energy trading. In addition, we define a fairness indicator to capture the reputation-based average benefits and costs when considering reputation as the contribution to the peer-to-peer energy trading market. By simulating the comprehensive system, the numerical results demonstrate the effects of distributed reputation in improving the efficiency of blockchain and balancing fairness indicators between sellers and buyers during peer-to-peer energy trading. As far as we know, this paper is one of the few works to provide a formal method of evaluating the fairness of the peer-to-peer energy trading market. • A distributed reputation system is designed based on the blockchain technology. • Reputation is used to improve blockchain consensus and peer-to-peer energy trading fairness. • A formal definition of fairness of peer-to-peer energy trading is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recent progress and challenges in blockchain-based P2P market are discussed. • This paper designs a novel three-layer architecture for blockchain-based P2P market. • Homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computing are used to protect on-chain bidding data. • The proposed on-chain market mechanism considers operation security and settlement security. With the rising demand for energy in distribution networks and the growing development of communication technology, peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity trading realized by blockchain technology not only promotes the participation of distributed generation resources in the energy supply but also enhances the fairness of P2P electricity trading through the decentralized and transparent characteristics of the blockchain. However, owing to the openness and transparency of the on-chain data in the blockchain, the order information submitted by P2P market participants to the blockchain may encounter threats of information disclosure. To address this challenge, we have designed a novel three-layer architecture for P2P electricity trading, whose primary objective is to protect the private information submitted to the blockchain through a new privacy-preserving trading strategy. The proposed three-layer architecture is composed of a physical layer, information layer and market layer. An on-chain data protection method with homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computing (SMPC) is used to sort and clear encrypted orders in the information layer, and the trading checking and safe settlement process of encrypted orders in continuous double auction (CDA) market are realized through grid security-constrained market mechanism in the market layer. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by case studies running on the IBM Hyperledger Fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The desire of prosumers to participate in the markets has led to the setting up of Decentralized Local Electricity Markets (DLEM). These markets are usually confined to a small geographical location, often with a small number of participants. Such markets have very low liquidity for participants to trade, so price discovery becomes a cumbersome process. To solve the issue of market liquidity, this paper introduces a DLEM model where market participants can trade with a Liquidity Pool (LP) created by Energy Storage Units (ESU). The market model provides iteration-free price discovery by using an Automated Market Maker (AMM) protocol, which automatically updates energy price in the LP based on demand–supply balance. The efficiency of AMM is further improved using the concept of concentrated liquidity by restricting the trading range. A network loss compensation method is applied to ensure DLEM transactions do not affect the power contracts already committed. Simulation studies are conducted on IEEE 33 bus and 123 bus distribution networks for various energy demand scenarios to show operation of the proposed market model. • Automated Market Maker to improve liquidity in decentralized local electricity markets. • Liquidity pool created using energy storage units help prosumers to trade efficiently. • Concentrated liquidity concept used to increase efficiency of liquidity provided by energy storage units. • Network constraints and distribution line losses is considered during validation of each transaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A distributed operation optimization model of a large-scale distribution network with peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity trading is proposed. • A network partitioning method based on dynamic reconfiguration in the distributed manner is studied to improve the computation efficiency. • A proxy entity for distribution network is addressed to help the coordination between the electricity trading and the operation of ADNs. • The network usage price can be adjusted to reach the balance between P2P electricity trading maximization and distribution network security. With the increasing integration of distributed generators and the rapid development of electricity markets, active distribution networks (ADNs) confront new challenges in operation optimization. Centralized optimization methods usually aggravate the computational burden when applied to large-scale distribution networks (DNs). A distributed operation optimization model incorporating peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity trading in a blockchain environment is proposed in this paper, where network usage fees considering electrical distance are specially addressed. Meanwhile, the private information security of prosumers is ensured by the Proof-of-Authority (PoA) consensus blockchain during P2P electricity trading. The trading information of adjustable prosumers should be sent to the proxy entity authorized by the DN using the blockchain platform. In addition, a network partitioning method via dynamic reconfiguration considering multi-level switching is offered to adapt to the required distributed manner. The operation network, as well as the corresponding market structure can be automatically updated according to the results of dynamic reconfiguration. Moreover, the unit price of network usage fees can be adjusted to derive a higher amount of P2P electricity trading with security constraints. Case studies on a practical 148-bus system and a 297-bus system verify that the proposed model maximizes the profits and reduces the computational time in the distributed operation optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A comparative analysis of auction mechanisms and bidding strategies is presented. • Impacts of bidding strategies & auction mechanisms on various markets is simulated. • The best-offer game theoretic strategy results in near-ideal economic efficiencies. • Results show that discriminatory k-DA can economically outperform uniform k-DA. • However, discriminatory k-DA is more sensitive to market conditions than uniform k-DA. The advent of blockchain technology and the increasing penetration of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems have presented a new opportunity for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading. In such transactive markets, communities may enjoy cheaper electricity prices while supporting locally produced green energy. However, there exists a considerable knowledge gap between market mechanisms and energy exchanges. Challenges arise in the auction process to ensure individual rationality, incentive compatibility, budget balance, and economic efficiency. This paper offers insights for building the foundation of a P2P energy trading market and presents a comparative analysis of auction mechanisms and bidding strategies for P2P solar electricity exchanges in terms of market demand and supply metrics. Auction mechanisms considered in this paper are Discriminatory and Uniform k -Double Auction (k -DA). Impacts of different bidding strategies, including game theoretic approaches, on the economic efficiencies of the P2P transactive energy market are also studied. A simulation case study of 100 participants in a microgrid at various PV penetration levels is presented using typical residential load and solar PV generation profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Decentralized electricity market using blockchain has been designed in the community microgrid connected with utility DSO. • Smart contract functions to interact between the peers is especially programmed to support P2P energy intra-trading system. • A software simulation setup is described for the establishment of the blockchain network with the microgrid EMS system. • Pricing strategy under different cases of SDR with the battery storage flexibility is developed using Cryptocurrency "Atom". • Pricing strategy incorporates the effect of price and incentive responsiveness of loads and shows the effect on P2P price. The growing integration of distributed generations and battery storage equipped with smart meters paves a way to smartly manage the Distributed Energy Resources (DER) using a digital platform to improve the overall performance of the microgrid system. The deployment of distributed energy resources, particularly solar photovoltaic and wind generation, has transformed conventional power consumers into active prosumers. As a result of the expansion and digitalization of power distribution infrastructures, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy intra-trading has evolved as a new paradigm in electricity trade in the community microgrid system. Blockchain is being used to encourage P2P energy intra-trading amongst prosumers, consumers, and Renewable Energy Sources (RES) owners because of its transparency, security, and speed in completing transactions. This P2P concept is further extended in this work to establish a self-sustained community microgrid system in energy trading with a case study to showcase the merits of blockchain technology in providing a secure and effective trading platform for mass users. As a result, the proposed work presents a solution for a secured energy management system that uses blockchain technology to create a decentralized microgrid energy market model that depicts P2P energy transactions with the incorporation of a battery storage system. Again, the microgrid P2P market settles the clearing price considering the probable response of customers when the price varies and incentive is paid to customers and prosumers to change the pattern of using of loads. According to the findings, end-users benefit from energy savings and self-sufficiency due to the combination of automated P2P trade and storage flexibility. Furthermore, a sort of crypto-currency "Cosmos (Atom)" is simulated in the P2P market model and published via the blockchain's mining mechanism. The proposed design framework presented in this paper has addressed the implementation of an effective energy management platform for developing a self-sustained microgrid system using distributed energy resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A blockchain-based energy trading system is a new paradigm of grid infrastructure, which allows that energy purchaser and seller can efficiently exchange the energy through two-way communication. However, because energy trading services are provided through public networks, these systems are vulnerable to potential security breaches. This paper proposed a privacy-preserving blockchain-based energy trading scheme for vehicle-to-vehicle to resolve the security issues of contemporary systems and provide secure energy trading services. The proposed scheme has high efficiency by applying decentralized identifiers and verifiable credentials technologies because the records of energy trading are not stored on blockchain and blockchain is only utilized in the validation of users. After completing the energy trading, the vehicle issues a verifiable credential to the counterpart to prove the legitimacy of the transaction. We also perform informal and formal security analysis to demonstrate its security and achieve secure mutual authentication, confidentiality, and session key security. Furthermore, we implement AVISPA simulation to show that our scheme is resistant to man-in-the-middle and replay attacks. As a result, the proposed scheme can be used in distributed smart grid environments. • A blockchain-based energy trading scheme for V2V is proposed. • The proposed scheme provides a high capacity for blockchain using DID and VC. • Formal security analysis and simulation analysis are performed to prove its security. • The performance analysis is performed compared with the contemporary schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an auxiliary two-layer blockchain framework to improve the security and reliability of Wide Area Measurement Systems (WAMS) in smart grids against adverse manipulation of time synchronization and interference with fault identification. The framework benefits from the blockchain's inherent advantages, such as distributed storage, consensus mechanism, and avoidance of single-point of failure while addressing typical challenges of employing blockchain technology in smart grids, such as the limitation of computation power and the high bandwidth requirements for data exchange. In the first layer of the proposed architecture, the security state of the system is determined based on the state opinion of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs), using a consensus mechanism. Then, in the second layer, Phasor Data Concentrators (PDCs) use the first layer opinion to preserve the proper WAMS operation when some of the PMUs are compromised. In this setting and by utilizing a co-simulation testbed, we show the effectiveness of using smart contracts whereby PMUs and PDCs can reliably communicate and aggregate smart grid measurements while time synchronization and fault identification functionalities are appropriately maintained. We also evaluate several deployment scenarios and provide corresponding recommendations for the security enhancement of WAMS. Finally, we detail a fortification strategy that the Power System Operator (PSO) can use to harden the blockchain network, based on an adversarial model. • A two-layer blockchain on top of WAMS to securely store data in a distributed ledger. • Taking consensus in two steps for data of voltage measurement and time stamps. • Assessing the security for attacks on time synchronization and fault identification. • Evaluating several deployments and recommendations for enhancing WAMS security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the first legally binding global agreement on climate change, the Paris Agreement aims to limit long-term global warming to less than 2 °C, preferably below 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels. Road transport, as one of the primary sources of energy consumption and carbon emissions, has great potential for energy conservation and emission reduction in achieving the climate goals. However, current approaches cannot efficiently reduce road travel, making it challenging to decarbonize in the transport sector. Therefore, in this paper, we propose STRICTs, a blockchain-enabled motor vehicle restrictive and trading system based on the carbon emissions cap. STRICTs allows automated carbon emission auditing and carbon emission violation punishment without relying on third-party escrow. Through a decentralized enforcer, STRICTs also enables carbon permit trading reliably and transparently. Finally, we implement a proof-of-concept prototype of the system based on Hyperledger Fabric and conduct experiments for comprehensive performance evaluation through CO2 Emission by Vehicles dataset. The experiment results show the practically affordable performance of STRICTs. [Display omitted] • Carbon emission calculation and carbon emission permit allocation method is developed. • Vehicle data chain is built to guarantee the reliability and correctness of collected vehicle data. • Restrictions on carbon emission allowance is presented to reduce carbon emissions. • A smart-contract-based decentralized enforcer is proposed to audit user's carbon emission behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy policy is too often not designed for energy consumers in a low-cost and consumer-friendly manner. This paper proposes a novel Stackelberg game and Blockchain-based framework that enables consumer-centric decarbonization by automating iterative negotiations between policy makers and consumers or generators to reduce carbon emissions. This iterative negotiation is modeled as a Stackelberg game-theoretic problem, and securely facilitated by Blockchain technologies. The policy maker formulates carbon prices and monetary compensation rates to dynamically incentivize the carbon reduction, whereas consumers and generators schedule their power profiles to minimize bills and maximize profits of generation, respectively. The negotiating agreement is yielded by reaching a Stackelberg equilibrium. The exchanged information and controlling functions are realized by using smart contracts of Blockchain technologies. Case studies of GB power systems show that the proposed framework can incentivize 9% more bill savings for consumers and 45.13% more energy generation from renewable energy sources. As a consumer-centric decarbonization framework, it can at least reduce carbon emissions by 40%. [Display omitted] • A novel consumer-centric and negotiation-based framework to decarbonize power systems. • A Blockchain based platform to integrate the exchanged information and controlling functions of the power system scheduling into data structures, nodes, and smart contracts of Blockchain networks. • How Blockchain based platform can prevent cyber attacks is discussed. • Case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework in the context of Great Britain power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the increasing prosperity of electric vehicles (EVs), the large-scale penetration of EVs in V2G (Vehicle to Grid) trading market brings difficulties and security issues in the operation of the energy market. The blockchain has the characteristics of security, transparency, decentralization and traceability, which provides an alternative for complex energy market operation in a secure environment. In this paper, a novel hierarchical blockchain architecture is constructed for the V2G trading system including Data Blockchain layer, Operation Blockchain layer and Transaction Blockchain layer. The intelligent contracts of the V2G trading, two-level auction and optimization strategies are designed for scheduling EVs orderly charge and discharge to participate in the grid load regulation so as to minimize the total load variance of the grid and realize reasonable benefit distribution among the involved market entities, i.e., EVs, aggregators and grid. Based on the V2G trading characteristics, a transaction manager with four optimization strategies are designed to further optimize the transaction generation process. The CA (cellular automata) based simulation experiments are performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed V2G trading system. • A novel V2G trading system based on hierarchical blockchain architecture. • Intelligent contracts are designed to schedule EVs for the grid load regulation. • A transaction manager is designed to improve the transaction execution efficiency. • A Cellular Automata model is applied for the V2G trading simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Identify clear-value propositions that blockchain technology brings into transactive energy markets. • Present the blueprint/framework for a transactive energy market that is supported by blockchain technology. • Identify cybersecurity attributes and considerations in the context blockchain's application to the transactive energy markets. • Demonstrate the proposed architecture by implementing a smart-contract (chaincode) -driven market (doubleauction). This paper proposes a reference framework for a transactive energy market based on distributed ledger technology such as blockchain. The framework design was based on the engineering requirements of a distribution-scale market, including participant needs, expected market transactions, and the cybersecurity constructs required to support a fair, secure, and efficient market operation. It leverages the existing blockchain attributes to provide clear value propositions that are applicable to transactive energy market applications. Those attributes are evaluated to not only facilitate the energy market mechanisms but also assist with the cybersecurity requirements, such as access control management (including identification, authentication, and authorization); data security and integrity; and resilience management (decentralization, scalability, and performance during faults). The validity of the proposed framework is demonstrated using a real-time, five-minute double-auction market. The results highlight the framework benefits and provide a strong validation of its applicability to blockchain-based transactive energy systems. The proposed design can help to support machine-to-machine transactions that can be directly integrated into complex grid operations, such as automated market bidding and self-sufficient, resilience-capable grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of distributed energy resources (DERs), such as distributed renewables, energy storage, electric vehicles, and controllable loads, brings a significantly disruptive and transformational impact on the centralized power system. It is widely accepted that a paradigm shift to a decentralized power system with bidirectional power flow is necessary to the integration of DERs. The virtual power plant (VPP) emerges as a promising paradigm for managing DERs to participate in the power system. In this paper, we develop a blockchain-based VPP energy management platform to facilitate a rich set of transactive energy activities among residential users with renewables, energy storage, and flexible loads in a VPP. Specifically, users can interact with each other to trade energy for mutual benefits and provide network services, such as feed-in energy, reserve, and demand response, through the VPP. To respect the users' independence and preserve their privacy, we design a decentralized optimization algorithm to optimize the users' energy scheduling, energy trading, and network services. Then we develop a prototype blockchain network for VPP energy management and implement the proposed algorithm on the blockchain network. By experiments using real-world data trace, we validated the feasibility and effectiveness of our algorithm and the blockchain system. The simulation results demonstrate that our blockchain-based VPP energy management platform reduces the users' cost by up to 38.6% and reduces the overall system cost by 11.2%. • A blockchain-based energy management platform is developed for a VPP. • Energy trading among users and network services provided to the grid are modeled. • A distributed optimization algorithm is designed to manage the VPP system. • A blockchain system is implemented for the developed energy management platform. • Simulations using real-world data demonstrate the benefits to users in the VPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DER) in low-voltage networks, peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading has been proposed to facilitate DER integration into power systems. In this paper, we investigate P2P energy trading driven by the electrical distance between agents in a low-voltage network. Our market design considers the role of a distributed system operator (DSO) who determines the shortest path between agents, encoded in preference lists. The DSO submits the preference lists to the agents but does not intervene in the P2P matching process. Specifically, we propose two decentralised P2P market mechanisms that are induced by the relations in the preference lists. First, we introduce a stable-matching (SM) algorithm for matching agents and guaranteeing that no agents want to mutually deviate from the matching. Second, a mechanism based on a continuous double auction (CDA) is adopted for continually matching peers. The proposed mechanisms are tested on a UK low-voltage network. Simulation results show that the outcome of the proposed SM mechanism faces a trade-off between the stability of the matching and market efficiency, whereas the proposed CDA-based mechanism deviates from the stable outcome but can still capture the high market efficiency of the CDA. We show that a P2P market driven by electrical distance leads to reduced losses and line congestion in both mechanisms. • We introduced a novel decentralised electrical-distance driven P2P market design. • We proposed a stable-matching and a CDA-based mechanisms for matching peers. • The shortest paths between agents are encoded in preference lists by a DSO. • Technical implications of adopting the proposed mechanisms are assessed. • Inciting P2P trading between closer agents reduces power losses and congestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deregulation of the power industry leads to a deeper penetration of prosumers directly participating in electricity transactions. Local energy trading can mobilize social cooperation and enhance the resilience within the trading system. In this paper, a blockchain-based multi-time-scale autonomous energy trading system within distribution networks is introduced and evaluated. The energy trading mechanism consists of three stages: the day-ahead stage focuses on main load dispatching and on/off decisions; the real-time stage corrects the prediction errors; the energy trading stage completes energy tracking and employs a model predictive control strategy to mitigate uncertainties and improve system performance. From the space perspective, energy management is conducted hierarchically and distributively by central and building energy management systems. For the scheduling process, the heterogeneous consumer preferences, load characteristics and demand flexibility are reflected in the system model. Regarding the clearing process, the nodal clearing prices are determined based on loss allocation, and the settlement results are recorded through blockchain onto the distributed ledgers. Finally, the proposed autonomous energy trading mechanism is verified on the IEEE 13-bus distribution network and investigated with sensitivity analysis. • A multi-time-scale energy trading system within distribution networks is proposed. • ADMM algorithm ensures individual privacy in the community-based trading structure. • Energy trading mitigates system uncertainties with model predictive control. • Flexibility from distributed energy resources enhances system resilience. • Loss allocation and blockchain enables fair, efficient and secure clearing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A trading framework is designed enabling the exchange of energy and carbon allowance. • Smart contract is exploited to automate standardised auction procedure. • The bidding/selling prices directly target on reshaping prosumption behaviours. • Results prove that the proposed framework facilitates regional energy balance and carbon saving. Prosumers are active participants in future energy systems who produce and consume energy. However, the emerging role of prosumers brings challenges of tracing carbon emissions behaviours and formulating pricing scheme targeting on individual prosumption behaviours. This paper proposes a novel blockchain-based peer-to-peer trading framework to trade energy and carbon allowance. The bidding/selling prices of prosumers can directly incentivise the reshaping of prosumption behaviours to achieve regional energy balance and carbon emissions mitigation. A decentralised low carbon incentive mechanism is formulated targeting on specific prosumption behaviours. Case studies using the modified IEEE 37-bus test feeder show that the proposed trading framework can export 0.99 kWh of daily energy and save 1465.90 g daily carbon emissions, outperforming the existing centralised trading and aggregator-based trading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimal power flow and trading are combined in a single optimization problem. • A real dataset from a prosumer community in Amsterdam is used. • The role of a smart contract as a virtual aggregator is described in a detailed manner. • Import cost reductions of up to 34.9% are found for the combined model. • The combined model shows 50% reduced peak energy imports. In this paper, an integrated blockchain-based energy management platform is proposed that optimizes energy flows in a microgrid whilst implementing a bilateral trading mechanism. Physical constraints in the microgrid are respected by formulating an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) problem, which is combined with a bilateral trading mechanism in a single optimization problem. The Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) is used to decompose the problem to enable distributed optimization and a smart contract is used as a virtual aggregator. This eliminates the need for a third-party coordinating entity. The smart contract fulfills several functions, including distribution of data to all participants and executing part of the ADMM algorithm. The model is run using actual data from a prosumer community in Amsterdam and several scenarios of the model are tested to evaluate the impact of combining physical constraints and trading on social welfare of the community and scheduling of energy flows. The scenario variants are trade-only, where only a trading mechanism is implemented, grid-only where only OPF optimization is implemented and a combined scenario where both are implemented. Results are compared with a baseline scenario. Simulation results show that import costs of the whole community are reduced by 34.9% as compared to a baseline scenario, and total energy import quantities are reduced by 15%. Total social welfare is found to be highest without a trading mechanism, however this platform is only viable when all costs are equally shared between all households. Furthermore, peak imports are reduced by over 50% in scenarios including grid constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Blockchain can potentially improve sustainability and efficiency of geoenergy industry. • Case study evidence presented showing what geoenergy industry can learn from other sectors. • Absence of data standards and interoperability diagnosed as barriers to getting value from blockchain. • Geoenergy sector should leverage existing data standards as much as possible from other industries. Geoenergy sources will continue to be mainstays of the world's energy mix for many years to come, but the technological and business realities behind these energy sources are changing in two fundamental ways. First, with much of the world's "easy oil" already consumed, the companies behind geoenergy will have to use increasingly sophisticated technologies to find and deliver these energy sources to the market. Second, the expectations placed upon the geoenergy sector by many of its stakeholders have grown considerably with regards to environmental stewardship, safety, and human welfare. In the face of these kinds of challenges, the industry will require an increasing degree of technological and commercial sophistication to continue to be a part of the world's sustainable energy mix. Blockchain has emerged as a promising innovation that could potentially play an important role in delivering the kinds of technological and commercial capabilities that the geoenergy sector will need to achieve these ends. In spite of the myriad ways that blockchain could potentially improve the efficiency and sustainability of the geoenergy industry, however, the technology is still evolving, and a few barriers stand in the way of its widespread deployment. This paper puts forward case study evidence from the Intel Corporation and the Energistics Consortium showing what the geoenergy sector can learn about blockchain from other industries, and highlights that the absence of data standards and interoperability has contributed to blockchain's failure to deliver significant value in the geoenergy domain thus far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Smart contracts for uniform price double auction. • Large-scale simulations of decentralized energy markets. • Consortium blockchain network for decentralized energy markets. The energy sector is undergoing a massive transformation that greatly affects and is being affected by its market mechanisms. This paper presents the design, the prototype implementation and the analysis of a decentralized, real-time, uniform-price double auction energy market. The proposed market is a distributed and decentralized application and its rules may be specified through a smart contract. Market participants interact with the smart contract sending their asks and offers and the distributed application clears the market based on a uniform-price economic dispatch model. We propose and analyze three different implementation approaches on an Ethereum blockchain network. A model representing a physical demonstration project conducted in Seattle, USA, is utilized to simulate the power grid and to provide real-life scenarios for our analysis. We systematically evaluate our three implementation approaches and elucidate several blockchain issues regarding the decentralization of next-generation energy markets. In particular, we identify that certain computation modules may be installed on smart consuming devices in order to increase efficiency, security and decentralization and reduce the overall blockchain overhead cost. Furthermore, we show that in order to fulfill the market's high demand for step timing, we ought to have the block generation time several magnitudes smaller compared to the auction period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]