An Analysis of the Implementation of Blockchain Technology in Smart Grid Edge IoT Devices

A smart grid provides a reliable power supply with fewer and fleeting outages and self-recovery power systems, using digital information, automated control, and autonomous systems. Smart grids are more efficient, providing reduced total energy use, reduce peak demand, reduced energy losses, and the ability to induce end-user use reduction instead of new generation in power system operations. The smart grid offers several benefits such as reduced costs. However, with the increase of cyber-attacks worldwide smart grids are becoming key targets. The degree of risks from cybersecurity threats that smart grids are facing has grown rapidly in recent years. The increasing threats place sensitive data and organizational security at risk. This is exacerbated by using IoT IoT-based grid. The smart grid contains sensitive data, and power system data which are confidential. If intruders manipulate the smart grid, it can result in catastrophic damage and bring disaster to society. Sensitive data and organizational security are exposed to danger because of the growing threats. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to analyze the implementation of a blockchain layer of security to address various security problems in IoT devices on smart grid edge computing. A Desktop review was employed in collecting, organizing, and evaluating available information to gain a deeper insight into the subject matter from various relevant sources. The findings of the research show that although blockchain technology has the potential to manage a variety of security issues in smart grid edge IoT devices, total security cannot be achieved by the implementation of blockchain technology alone; policies regulations, and skills development should also be put in place.