Grid computing, utilizing distributed resources, achieves goals in handling workloads in a distributed system. Unlike traditional high-performance computing, grid computing assigns tasks to nodes, showcasing heterogeneity without physical coupling. Grids, with variable sizes based on applications, use general-purpose middleware. In modern energy systems, integrating smart grids and grid computation is vital. Emphasizing resource efficiency, grid computation enhances smart grid performance; by enabling real-time monitoring, rapid adjustments for optimization, and outage prevention. Grid computation supports demand response strategies for electricity management and integrates distributed generation resources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, including autonomous microgrid supervision.
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Smart Grids, often referred to as “intelligent” or “advanced” grids, describe a modern and technologically sophisticated evolution of electrical networks, with the purpose of incorporating cutting-edge digital technologies aimed at automation combined with efficiency, sustainability, accountability and adaptability for electricity generation, distribution and consumption optimization. This dynamization and smartening incentive of the electric power grid consists of a transformative evolution by leveraging advanced digital technologies and communication frameworks to create a responsive and efficient ecosystem through the seamless integration of renewable resources, the optimized telecommunication and the meaningful data management by harnessing the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Modern energy systems require the implementation of Smart Grids and fundamental concepts serving as a ground for those Smart Grids such as the Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) which are small-scale power generation units shaped at a local level and interlinked with a border grid, and integrating technologies such as renewable energies and variable energy resources (VERs) generators. Smart Grids are founded on six fundamental pillars which are: (1) the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI): which consists in a bidirectional communication channel between users and utilities, thus, transferring, collecting, assessing and storing energy consumption data for an efficient remote monitoring and potential anomaly identification. (2) Demand Response (DR) is a flexibility catalyst involving collaborative efforts of energy between providers and users, and aimed at balancing the demand-supply driven by their incentive to lower energy usage during peak consumption. It fosters the monitoring of smart electrical demand loads in Smart Grids through instantaneous communication. (Siddiquee et al., 2020) researches showed that the DR concept-even though sustained by the integration of renewable energies reducing energy consumption burden, for instance, thanks to EVs reinjection electrical power back to the grid-still faces challenges in tackling a sufficiently enhanced user comfort and high costs, which require alternative strategies to incentivize consumer participate and engage in the cooperation endeavor, in addition to the importance of the need for adequate mathematical modeling to harness the renewable energy resources through their best integration in a DR context. (3) Grid Automation Systems represent a key factor of smartening through data-based monitoring on a real-time basis, founded on automated control and optimization of electricity flow distribution. (4) Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) serve as user-friendly interfaces for supervision and control. Finally, (5) Big Data Analytics and Cybersecurity are associated with the smart aspect of grids. While data analysis and application in forecasting purposes stands behind the system adjustments and relates to decision making, Cybersecurity remains a challenge to be addressed. (6) Communication Networks Infrastructure Robustness is crucial for the information exchange flow between the Smart Grids’ elements/components and the Machine to Machine (M2M) communication which excludes human intervention. Moreover, Transmission Enhancement involves distribution streamlining, selective load control, and microgrid dynamics. The integration of innovative technologies in the traditional electrical grid enables data collection and monitoring, grid automation, electricity systems control, renewable energy integration, and the management of the infrastructure for electric vehicle (EV) charging. It also contributes to supply-demand balance, energy consumption reduction, and environmental preservation. The Smart Grid Technology Market Size Worldwide between 2021- 2026 is prone to grow from 36.9 to 55.9 billion U.S Dollar as shown by Figure 1.