Big data analytics in smart grids: a review

Data analytics are now playing a more important role in the modern industrial systems. Driven by the development of information and communication technology, an information layer is now added to the conventional electricity transmission and distribution network for data collection, storage and analysis with the help of wide installation of smart meters and sensors. This paper introduces the big data analytics and corresponding applications in smart grids. The characterizations of big data, smart grids as well as huge amount of data collection are firstly discussed as a prelude to illustrating the motivation and potential advantages of implementing advanced data analytics in smart grids. Basic concepts and the procedures of the typical data analytics for general problems are also discussed. The advanced applications of different data analytics in smart grids are addressed as the main part of this paper. By dealing with huge amount of data from electricity network, meteorological information system, geographical information system etc., many benefits can be brought to the existing power system and improve the customer service as well as the social welfare in the era of big data. However, to advance the applications of the big data analytics in real smart grids, many issues such as techniques, awareness, synergies, etc., have to be overcome. © 2018, The Author(s).