xIoT-Based Converged 5G and ICT Infrastructure

Ahmed Y. Hassebo

#### Abstract

This chapter examines and explores the potential of how the capabilities of the emerging 5G cellular technologies can be integrated with a given mission-critical xIoT application (e., g., smart grid) to enable a truly converged xIoT-ICT infrastructure that would further enhance and enable the adequate support of the strict performance requirement of such an xIoT application. Since the smart grid believed to be one of the most necessitated IoT services. in this work, it has been nominated as a descriptive xIoT case. As the smart grid comprises an extensive collection of applications extended from mission-critical services which have rigorous necessities in terms of end-to-end (E2E) latency and reliability (e.g., real-time system protection and control utilizing PMU measurements) to those that require support of massive number of connected machine-to-machine (M2M) devices with relaxed latency and reliability requirements (e.g., smart meters). Based on time-to-market strategy, we identify and propose two different 5G-based business and architectural models that enable a truly converged power grid-ICT infrastructure, namely, nearterm model and long-term model.

Keywords: IoT, 5G, ICT, Smart Grid, PON, Slicing, and Mission-Critical

#### 1. Introduction

Distributed energy resources (DERs) comprising wind and photovoltaic (PV) systems, joint heat and power systems, energy storage, demand response (DR), and microgrids. In addition, plug-in electric vehicle (PEV), vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and supportive electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) systems are controlled to transform the landscape of the universal energy market. Nowadays, an international and domestic widespread change is pervading. Recently, as early as 2018, the grid automation and demand response expenditure has touched \$70 billion worldwide and estimates depict that distributed capacity additions will surpass new centralized generation capacity additions [1]. The historic treaty developed from the latest universal Paris climate summit obligating all countries to act in contradiction to climate change will vividly fast-track the universal distribution of renewables and distributed generation (DG). It starts the launch of the conclusion of the fossil fuel epoch and the dynamic conversion to a novel clean DER-dependent universal energy market.

A universal integration of DERs into typical energy generation is fundamentally efficient to transform from the current conventional centralized grid to a strictly smart grid. To be truly smart, the power grid must provide a secure two-way flow

of data throughout the entire grid assets, including millions of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) such as sensors and smart meters, electrical appliances, switches, gateways, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) control centers, databases, and consumers. A universal, efficient, and economical DER implementation necessitates boosted positional knowledge so that the system operator is aware of devices and its location. The entire grid necessitates a boosted vision down to the distribution system and end user/device level. This will necessitate a superior dependance on the Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Many utilities have already started investing in the distribution grid by deploying sensor systems and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). AMI is consisting of smart meters, communication networks and information management systems. Nationally, it is anticipated that about 65 million smart meters will be implemented by 2015, accounting for at least a third of all U.S. electricity customers [2]. To support AMI deployment, wireless mesh networks are typically utilized because they are more affordable than fiber optics networks. These networks can only support basic meter reading functions since they lack the bandwidth and latency capabilities required to support advanced distribution automation.

Recently, distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS) have been developed as smart software solutions to tackle the economic and technical challenges modeled by the propagation of customer-owned distributed resources. The efficient management of DER is the fundamental role of a DERMS [2]. In 2030 and beyond, the grid operations are expected to be dominated by the microgrids and DER. In addition, numerous theoretical, industrialized and regularization research and development (R&D) have been established to encounter this challenge [3].

The power grid network comprises four functional areas, incorporating bulk generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption which are normally disseminated in a huge zone. The associated communication network infrastructure must cover all of these four divisions and is split into several classified networks. These networks comprising home area networks (HANs), neighborhood area networks (NANs), field area networks (FANs), and wide area networks (WANs), as depicted in Figure 1.

Several different wired and wireless networking technologies have been proposed as the underlying communication infrastructure for the smart grid including broadband power line communication (BPLC), Digital Subscriber Lines, cellular wireless (2G, 2.5G, 3G, and WiMAX), IEEE 802.15.4 g-based wireless HANs (ZigBee communication protocols), wireless sensor networks (WSNs), high-speed wireless local area networks (WLANs), e.g., WiFi, and IEEE 802.11 s-based multihop wireless mesh networks (WMNs), etc. Typically, different networking technologies and standards are adopted in different parts of the grid, e.g., PLC and/ or IEEE 802.15.4 g may be used in HANs, IEEE 802.15.4 g and/or IEEE 802.11 s may be used in NANs, while IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) is used in WANs [4]. All these networks have to be integrated into one larger seamless network to provide efficient data and control flow.

#### 2. Recent research growth: challenges and motivations

As the grid develops, several diverse devices and systems will be incorporated into the distribution grid involving those of the predicted universal AMI, microgrid and PEV implementation. Therefore, for the anticipated smart grid, E2E interoperability implementation among these systems and devices in a simple and affordable approach is considered as an overwhelming mission. Various interfaces among diverse grid systems and components have been recognized by the US National

xIoT-Based Converged 5G and ICT Infrastructure DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97605

Figure 1.

Power grid components and power grid communications network.

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cyber security Working Group [5]. Devising a widely accepted seamless global communication networking technology standard across the entire grid segments will certainly greatly simplify the end-toend interoperability challenge. As more and more devices and components are connected to future power grids, communication networks and computing are growingly integral to power grid operations and the notion of a truly converged power grid and ICT infrastructure is inevitable.

The potential grid communications networks possession, associated standards, and interoperability challenges are igniting a substantial dispute among all shareholders. The utilization of the services of the public commercial fixed/mobile networks or the dependence of the potential grid communications networks on the utility controlled private network is considered the center of the current argument. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends on the issue of grid data communications possession in its nationwide broadband strategy: "The nation should follow three similar tracks". First, reinforcing the current commercial mobile networks (Long Term Evolution (LTE)/LTE-Advanced (LTE-A)) to provision mission critical smart grid services. Second, enabling the utilities to share the public safety mobile broadband network for mission critical communications. Third, essentially, utilities are authorized to create and control their private mission critical broadband networks" [2–4].

The miscellaneous use cases of potential power grid applications varying from mission critical applications to relaxed latency applications. The mission critical applications necessitate ultra-reliable and strict E2E latency, for example, system protection. While the relaxed latency applications provision massive number of connected devices with relaxed reliability requirements and latency necessities, for instance, smart meters. Point-to-point (P2P) fibers among the controller and every device might be required to provide a strict E2E latency to the mission critical applications. Therefore, the ideal solution is to dedicate a private optical fiber network. a significant fiber capacity underutilization and fiber cost prohibitions conversely are due to a dedicated fiber network deployment for smart grid purposes.

In contrast, it has been agreed that utilizing significantly flexible and cost effective commercial cellular networks, for example, 4G LTE and/or LTE-A dependent Fifth Generation (5G) are significantly convincing technically and economically for the potential power grids. Due to its cost effectiveness and availability, using of 4G LTE is considered by multiple energetic service industries to support critical connections to smart devices, and sensors belong to their networks. However, typical 4G LTE networks cannot efficiently accommodate the diverging performance requirements of smart grid mission-critical applications in terms of latency, availability, and reliability.

Recently, Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) paradigm has emerged to permit an innovative chain of mission-critical applications. These services comprising industrial automation, instantaneous operation, smart grid control, inter-vehicular communications for improved safety, and autonomous vehicles. URLLC is one of the most pioneering 5G New Radio (NR) features. URLLC and its supporting 5G NR technologies might become a commercial reality in the future, but it may be rather a distant future. Thus, it is most likely that deploying viable mission critical IoT applications won't be feasible in the near future, at least not before URLLC and 5G NR technologies become commercially available.

This study, driven by these challenges, investigates the evolving 5G cellular technologies potentially can be incorporated with the power grid to assist the implementation of a strictly smart grid (a congregated power grid ICT infrastructure). Numerous substantial economic and technical developments will significantly position LTE-A dependent 5G cellular technologies as a potential universal congregated grid communications standard. These include:


Based on time-to-market strategy, we identify and propose two different 5Gbased business and architectural models that enable a truly converged power grid-ICT infrastructure, namely, near-term model and long-term model [8]. Utilization of the public commercial 5G cell-based network along with public commercial passive optical network (PON) dependent fiber-to-the home/node (FTTH/FTTN) is the near-term model which is the main focus of this study. In this model, utilities

#### xIoT-Based Converged 5G and ICT Infrastructure DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97605

can control the provisioning of the cell-based communication devices (LTE-Aequipped M2M module/SIM card). The fixed/mobile operators should stringently synchronize with the utilities to modify a portion of the core network (CN) and information systems [9]. The Telecom operator in the near-term model, should have the control of the fixed PON FTTH resources (wavelengths) as well as radio network resources and frequency licenses.

The concept of the evolving 5G network slicing is the base of the second longterm model [10]. The 5G network slicing has been empowered by the latest swift networking developments in mobile edge computing and storage proficiencies, software defined networks (SDN), and network functions virtualizations (NFV). Extensive various IoT applications (Verticals) are to be supported by 5G, each vertical with its own distinctive set of service, performance necessities, machine type communications, and numerous logical (virtual) networks. Each virtual network is designed for a particular vertical, which must be built on the top of the common physical 5G infrastructure. Each logical network is denoted as a 5G network slice. Each network slice comprises of a combination of common and dedicated resource instances, for example, radio spectrum or network equipment, and virtual network function (VNF). Consequently, each slice will have its own virtual mobile CN as well as its own radio access network (RAN) functionalities. All network slices would be different and independently configured. Thus, under the second model, the 5G-network slice that is assigned to the smart grid must:

1.Have its own set of resources and functionalities

