Challenges and directions for Blockchain technology applied to Demand Response and Vehicle-to-Grid scenarios

Nowadays, Blockchain is considered a consolidated technology supporting many different applications that integrate well with Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, and supports the creation of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations. Within this wider framework, the energy blockchain applications are now deserving more and more attention, since blockchain architectures, on one hand, provide transparency and solve the information asymmetry problem, on the other, provide disintermediation. In this way, the dream of an energy market closer to end-users becomes a reality, although, still, the regulatory framework is not clear, especially for what concerns the tokenization of assets related to investments in energy projects and energy services. The role of the blockchain technology in the energy sector has several facets: fostering Demand Response and the aggregation of loads and generators, helping the creation of energy communities and the integration of electric vehicles in the power grid, providing a more transparent and traceable relation between service providers and customers. This chapter describes current challenges and gives possible directions for the research in the field. This is done considering the possible evolutions of the regulatory framework and thus the possible implications in terms of business models. Finally, the last section of the chapter describes a possible laboratory infrastructure to test energy blockchain business models under the point of view of service providers such as grid and telecom operators, as well as the customer’s perspective