IEEE International Conference on Communications, Control, and Computing Technologies for Smart Grids
21-23 October 2019 // Beijing, China

Call for Papers: Communications and Networking

The realization of smart grids is hampered by challenges such as geographic distribution, scale, and heterogeneity. These challenges can be overcome by effectively addressing the integration of the many interconnected elements of the electric power grid by reliable inter-element cooperation and information interchange. Communication and Networking technologies are, therefore, critical drivers to the achievement of enabled smart grids. Major research effort is required to integrate these components, technologies, and protocols into a versatile communication solution that can support a wide variety of smart grid applications ranging from smart metering data collection and demand response to microgrid management and interaction of medium-voltage substation control with low-voltage distribution grid management. With the above outlined challenges and requirements, this Symposium on Communications and Networking, therefore, has objectives to identify communication requirements in various grid applications, analyze existing communication technologies in that context and to develop communication architectures and protocols as well as communication-centric data-management solutions meeting those requirements. In line with the above objectives, this symposium will have a wide scope, ranging from theoretical performance analysis to practical system design and testbeds. It is thus desired that the symposium would describe advances in communications technologies to support the smart grid and related cyber-physical systems. This may include relevant advances in communications and protocol design, new insights into network design and operation for the smart grid, as well as new smart grid applications. The interaction between the communications network and the control and operation of the physical distribution grid, including the actuators and sensors, and recent topics in fifth generation wireless communications, such as ultra-reliable and low latency technologies, network virtualization and software-defined networking can also be included.

Topics of Particular Interest:

  • Communication and System
    • Physical and MAC layer protocols including the fifth generation (5G) and machine type communication (MTC) wireless technologies
    • Low power and wide area link layer technologies (PLC and wireless)
    • Interference assessment and mitigation
    • Resource management and cross-layer optimization
    • Capacity and network planning, resource and service discovery
  • Networking
    • Multi-hop communication and mesh networking
    • Lightweight IP networking stacks for constrained devices
    • Scalable network and system architecture (e.g., FAN, HAN, NAN, and BAN)
    • Lightweight IP networking stacks for constrained devices
    • Communication protocols optimized for (real-time) information collection and control applications
    • Data models and communication-aware data management solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), smart metering and smart grids
    • Coexistence, convergence and interoperability mechanism
  • Application to Smart Energy and Cyber-Physical Systems
    • Data models and communication-aware data management solutions for smart metering and smart grids
    • Signal processing and coding techniques for energy-related sensor information
    • Integration of smart meters in smart grid ICT networks; integration of electrical, gas and water meters in smart grid ICT solutions
    • Performance of smart metering and smart grid communication solutions and results from field trials; performance of electric vehicle and their supply equipment networks; performance of microgrid communication networks
    • Joint communication and control for smart energy systems
    • Interoperability and performance of communication solutions for substation automation and control of distributed energy resources