Blockchain Privacy and Scalability in a Decentralized Validated Energy Trading Context with Hyperledger Fabric

Area of Science:

• Energy Systems Engineering
• Computer Science
• Economics

Background:

• Declining renewable energy costs incentivize solar panel adoption for reduced electricity bills and potential grid sales.
• Current energy markets often limit trading to a dominant grid company, hindering competitiveness and renewable energy incentives.
• Decentralized energy markets offer potential for increased competition, renewable energy adoption, improved security, and grid resiliency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the existing literature on blockchain applications in energy markets.
• To propose, implement, and evaluate a novel blockchain-based model for decentralized energy trading.
• To assess the network scalability, data generation, and economic viability of the proposed model.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of blockchain technology in energy markets.
• Development and implementation of a decentralized energy trading model using Hyperledger Fabric.
• Empirical analysis of network scalability, transaction throughput, data generation, and deployment costs.

Main Results:

• The implemented blockchain model facilitates validated clean energy trading with anonymized buyers, protecting consumption privacy.
• Maximum transaction throughput was observed with 5000 sensors, 5000 buyers, and 5000 sellers.
• Analysis of data generation rates and baseline deployment costs provides insights into the network's practical viability.

Conclusions:

• Blockchain technology offers a viable solution for creating decentralized, secure, and efficient energy markets.
• The proposed model demonstrates practical feasibility and scalability for clean energy trading.
• Empirical results address a gap in the literature regarding the performance and viability of blockchain in energy markets.