How does the Selection of Wireless Technology Impact the Performance of the Smart Grid? A Simulation Approach

Electric power is a widely used resource around the world and has relied heavily on fossil energy sources that are expensive and polluting. Therefore, there is an urgent need to move to a low-carbon economy, avoid unpredictable fuel costs and replace aging infrastructure. However, this requires a radical transformation of the electricity system, and communication technologies can play this important role. In this work, we present an evaluation by means of network simulations of the leading technologies used in Wireless Smart Grid Neighborhood Area Networks. This sub-network provides communication between home users and utility control centers. In this regard, we have configured and adapted the OMNeT++ and ns-3 simulators to implement IEEE 802.15.4g, LoRa (Longe Range), IEEE 802.11s, and 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless technologies in the context of Smart Grid communications. To the best of our knowledge, there are no equivalent works in the literature that evaluate and compare these technologies using realistic network simulations. Simulation results show how wireless technology selection can significantly influence packet delivery ratio, network transit time, and compliant throughput metrics.