Integration of Cloud Computing and IoT (CloudIoT) in Smart Grids: Benefits, Challenges, and Solutions

The pervasive smart grids and power markets are salient topics in the modernization of electricity networks in developed countries, which have attracted special attention during the last years. Power systems are experiencing the transition of entering the digital era because the technological growth in telecommunications and particularly, in artificial intelligence, has had an accelerated pace during the last decade. Recently, the exclusive traits of the Internet of things (IoT) have underlain the extensive application of this cutting-edge concept in the infrastructures of various technological fields. Many scholars have explained the architectures and hierarchical paradigms of deployment of this new concept for different purposes, the energy section included. The utilization of this technology can evolve the traditional ways of energy management in smart grids and power markets. By the use of IoT, the traditional methods of energy management will become obsolete so that the modernized IoT-equipped grids will demonstrate a decentralized peer-to-peer structure with a high level of autonomy all over the entire system. To achieve the targeted aim, it is recommended to integrate IoT technology with cloud technology. This integration is called CloudIoT, and it exhibits magnificent benefits in alignment with the aims of smart grids in addition to posing new challenges. In the extant study, first, an elaborate review of CloudIoT is presented. Then the opportunities, open challenges, and possible solutions are comprehensively discussed.