Blockchain Technology for Monitoring Energy Production for Reliable and Secure Big Data
Marco Gerardi, Francesca Fallucchi, Fabio Orecchini
Abstract
The growing adoption of renewable energy sources and the need for more efficient and secure energy grids are revolutionizing the energy sector. Electricity monitoring becomes an issue of utmost importance, as current traditional energy meters have several problems in terms of lack of transparency, very high operational costs, and the possibility of being easily tampered with. This paper proposes a new system for electricity production metering that leverages blockchain and IoT for decentralized and secure data recording while protecting user privacy and reducing operational costs. The architecture results in improvements over the traditional energy meter. The system also contributes to the generation of big data that is reliable, traceable, error-proof, and highly resistant to cyber attacks. The architectural project outputs are a smart energy meter, a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain, and a decentralized application to manage the information recording. The experimental prototype outcomes confirm the use of these new technologies to improve energy metering, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and traceability, with reduced costs and increased user privacy.