Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Blockchain and other trustless systems have turned into mainstream phenomena that are seen as powerful game-changers for many industries. The characteristics of blockchain and DLTs (distributed ledger technologies), such as immutability, security, and programmability, offer numerous opportunities for creating solutions that enable and foster the development of smart cities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the application of smart contracts to facilitate transactions, the creation of novel services and applications, the deployment of innovative security and privacy solutions, as well as the reorganization of the public sector (e.g., governmental spending transparency).

For this Special Issue, we invite papers that describe and explore the application of blockchain and related technologies in smart cities. Furthermore, we are interested in empirical research that explains the implications of blockchain in this context. We will publish papers that clearly outline how those technologies have been applied; what the rationale for their application was and, finally, what the outcome was.

Prof. Horst Treiblmaier
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Smart Cities is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Blockchain
Distributed ledger technology
Smart cities
Token economy
Digital transformation

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 5649 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agent-Based Model of a Blockchain Enabled Peer-to-Peer Energy Market: Application for a Neighborhood Trial in Perth, Australia

by Jacob G. Monroe, Paula Hansen, Matthew Sorell and Emily Zechman Berglund

Smart Cities 2020, 3(3), 1072-1099; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/smartcities3030053 - 19 Sep 2020

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6203

Abstract

The transfer of market power in electric generation from utilities to end-users spurred by the diffusion of distributed energy resources necessitates a new system of settlement in the electricity business that can better manage generation assets at the grid-edge. A new concept in facilitating distributed generation is peer-to-peer energy trading, where households exchange excess power with neighbors at a price they set themselves. However, little is known about the effects of peer-to-peer energy trading on the sociotechnical dynamics of electric power systems. Further, given the novelty of the concept, there are knowledge gaps regarding the impact of alternative electricity market structures and individual decision strategies on neighborhood exchanges and market outcomes. This study develops an empirical agent-based modeling (ABM) framework to simulate peer-to-peer electricity trades in a decentralized residential energy market. The framework is applied for a case study in Perth, Western Australia, where a blockchain-enabled energy trading platform was trialed among 18 households, which acted as prosumers or consumers. The ABM is applied for a set of alternative electricity market structures. Results assess the impact of solar generation forecasting approaches, battery energy storage, and ratio of prosumers to consumers on the dynamics of peer-to-peer energy trading systems. Designing an efficient, equitable, and sustainable future energy system hinges on the recognition of trade-offs on and across, social, technological, economic, and environmental levels. Results demonstrate that the ABM can be applied to manage emerging uncertainties by facilitating the testing and development of management strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain/DLT: Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions for Smart Cities)

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20 pages, 980 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Blockchain as a Driver for Smart City Development: Application Fields and a Comprehensive Research Agenda

by Horst Treiblmaier, Abderahman Rejeb and Andreas Strebinger

Smart Cities 2020, 3(3), 853-872; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/smartcities3030044 - 07 Aug 2020

Cited by 62 | Viewed by 10607

Abstract

The term “Smart City” denotes a comprehensive concept to alleviate pending problems of modern urban areas which have developed into an important work field for practitioners and scholars alike. However, the question remains as to how cities can become “smart”. The application of information technology is generally considered a key driver in the “smartization” of cities. Detailed frameworks and procedures are therefore needed to guide, operationalize, and measure the implementation process as well as the impact of the respective technologies. In this paper, we discuss blockchain technology, a novel driver of technological transformation that comprises a multitude of underlying technologies and protocols, and its potential impact on smart cities. We specifically address the question of how blockchain technology may benefit the development of urban areas. Based on a comprehensive literature review, we present a framework and research propositions. We identify nine application fields of blockchain technology in the smartization of cities: (1) healthcare, (2) logistics and supply chains, (3) mobility, (4) energy, (5) administration and services, (6) e-voting, (7) factory, (8) home and (9) education. We discuss current developments in these fields, illustrate how they are affected by blockchain technology and derive propositions to guide future research endeavors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blockchain/DLT: Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions for Smart Cities)

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