Cloud Computing for Smart Grid

A vast range of computing resources and storage are to be offered to store and use the big smart grid (SG) data. Cloud Computing (CC) can offer all these computing and storage resources. This chapter discusses the fundamental relationship between SG and CC services. CC could be utilized to execute the communication process among substations, loads, and the main power grid. CC can provide three main layers of services: infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, and software as a service. The chapter also discusses the architectural principles of CC services, and provides a sufficient understanding of various forms of CC. It describes opportunities and difficulties of using CC in SGs, and explains the major categories of data security challenges of CC. The deployment of CC in SG applications has multiple standpoints which can be grouped as organizational, technical, economic, and political standpoints.