Enabling Communications in Microgrids: A Comparison of Fiber-Optics, LoRa, and WI-SUN

Abstract

In the microgrids subject choosing a communication technology for a new grid is not a trivial task. For this purpose, an extensive review of the available literature was conducted, and three technologies were selected: Fiber-Optics, LoRa and WI-SUN. The main content of the paper consists on the description, technical characteristics (organized in tabular form) and some relevant applications to the listed technologies. This paper aims to provide the reader the necessary resources to aid in the decision process of choosing the most suitable technology. The study concluded that Fiber-Optics and LoRa are adequate for the strict requirements of microgrids.