Decentralized blockchain-based consensus for Optimal Power Flow solutions

We design, implement and analyze a decentralized consensus algorithm based on the blockchain technology for the solution of the Optimal Power Flow problem. The proposed algorithm enables independent power grid nodes, without prior trust on each other, to reach an agreement on the Optimal Power Flow solution. We decompose the Optimal Power Flow problem using a blockchain-based Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers and we comment on efficiency, trust, security and transparency issues. The successive iterants of the solution of the power flow problem are securely stored on the blockchain, removing the need for a central operating authority, while allowing network nodes to verify the validity and optimality of the solution. We illustrate the effectiveness of the consensus algorithm presented through simulation experiments on the 39-bus New England transmission system, and IEEE-57 and IEEE-118 benchmark systems. We systematically compare the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm with well established blockchain consensus algorithms. The results show that our method maintains the convergence characteristics of the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers iterative scheme and enables independent network nodes to reach consensus.