Using X-Road to Implement Open Data in Electrical Systems and Promote the Integration with Smart City and Open Governance Strategies

Abstract

The electrical industry is undergoing a deep digital transformation towards the consolidation of smart grids, which requires a high demand of data and information systems involved in the processes. Open data initiatives, which have been focused on open governance to a great extent, generate positive impacts on society and the economy in terms of easy access to public resources, agility, and transparency. These initiatives can also be adopted in the electrical industry (i.e., power, electrical, and energy systems) for customer engagement, collaboration with other industries, and reaching consensus. This study proposes the implementation of an open data solution for the electrical industry through the deployment of a data hub that offers digital services for smart city applications and the integration of the X-Road system to improve the security and interoperability of open data. This initiative aims to promote a wider adoption of open data in the electrical industry and prepare the latter for fully connected and collaborative digital ecosystems in smart cities, industries, and governments. This study also proposes an open data architecture for the interoperability of the electrical industry with other digital industries (through a Smart City Hub and the adoption of 5G technology), and it reports some relevant results and major findings in this regard. This paper highlights the benefits of promoting open data and technological strategies for digitized electrical systems while considering humans an essential factor. Finally, it discusses the pros and cons of the integration of X-Road with the electrical industry under the concept of smart grids for data exchange and potential applications.