The contributions of cloud technologies to smart grid

Electric power systems (EPS) are regarded as the largest artificial systems that cover the most area. However, EPS are relatively weak among all infrastructures because they could collapse easily in the case of great disturbance, disasters, and so on. The resulting blackouts may cause serious social problems and safety damage. Here, we show that cloud technologies, including cloud machine, cloud storage, cloud computing and cloud security, play an important role in improving the disaster preparedness level and the resilience of power systems to disasters. In addition, by using cloud technologies, the level of power system optimization and the accuracy of power system simulation can be increased. By improving resilience, the level of optimization, and the accuracy of simulation, cloud technologies can promote the access of renewable and sustainable energy to smart grid (SG).