Cloud-Enabled Smart Grid Computing: Architectures, Applications, Challenges, and Emerging Trends

Abstract

The adoption of smart grids to modernize power systems has turned the conventional and traditional electricity networks into intelligent, adaptive and data-driven infrastructure. Smart grids produce large amounts of real-time data on smart meters, sensors, distributed energy resources and communication networks, which need to be efficiently processed, stored and analyzed. Cloud computing is an important enabler of the smart grid operations due to the availability of scalable, flexible, and on-demand resources that can be used to facilitate real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, demand response, and integration of renewable energy. The survey provides introduction to cloud-enabled smart grid computing, the underlying architecture, major building blocks, the computational needs, and integration models. It examines the use of big data analytics, optimization of grids, and AI-driven decision-making, and issues concerning cybersecurity, privacy, and managing trust. The paper also presents the shortcomings of existing solutions, identifies existing research gaps, and emerging trends such as edge-cloud synergy, digital twins, blockchain integration, and quantum computing to optimize energy use. This survey summarizes recent developments and issues to give a comprehensive view of how cloud computing can be used to build resilient, efficient and intelligent smart grids.