Selection Game for Consensus-Based Decentralized Aggregators of Distributed Energy Resources in a Blockchain Ecosystem

Aggregators can be effective in organizing distributed energy resources (DERs) for smart grids and electricity markets. The recent development of blockchain and peer-to-peer (P2P) networks provides a new ecosystem for aggregating DERs. Initial studies have mainly used off-the-shelf consensuses, which may struggle to balance node sizes and computational intensities. Moreover, the dynamics of DERs changing their selection among multiple aggregators over time are rarely considered in most related literature. This freedom of selection, which is encouraged by the electricity market, can be better activated by a blockchain. In this study, a game-dynamic-based selection framework for multiple aggregators of DERs is proposed in a decentralized blockchain ecosystem. First, a proof-of-dual-credibility (Po2C) protocol is established so that DERs in such an aggregator can reach consensus. At the same time, for one DER node, both an unavoidable objective credit and a malicious subjective credit constitute its credibility with different weights. Then, a function with triple payoffs motivates DERs in terms of both the physical characteristics of being power supply devices and P2P nodes, the latter including consensus winning and data propagation. Third, the selection game of DERs among aggregators is modeled as an evolutionary game under replicator dynamics to find equilibrium. Numerical simulations with two and four aggregators show general stability in the selection game of DERs. Performance achieved with different consensuses and incentives are compared as well. The framework shows its great potential to organize DERs in a decentralized but aggregated mechanism in open electricity markets.