TAI: A Threshold-Based Anonymous Identification Scheme for Demand-Response in Smart Grids

Smart grids offer benefits compared to the current power grid by using technologies, such as advanced metering infrastructure and demand-response schemes. However, the introduction of these technologies also leads to challenges in the areas of privacy and identification of disobedient users. Current solutions to these challenges heavily rely on a trusted third party, which may lead to scenarios where the privacy of obedient consumers cannot be preserved. To tackle these concerns, anonymity provides a promising approach to obviating privacy preservation in smart grids. In this paper, a threshold-based anonymous identification scheme (TAI) for overload audit and privacy preservation in smart grids is proposed, where the use of a trusted third party is no longer required. Privacy preservation depends on the power consumption of consumers in the presence of a demand-response request from the power provider that defines an acceptable consumption threshold at periods of power shortage. Consumers must follow the instruction and curtail their consumption to meet the threshold. By doing so, the consumers who adhere to the power providers' instructions keep their anonymity, whilst the disobedient are be identified. According to our security and performance analysis, TAI significantly improves efficiency compared to previous anonymous identification schemes, while providing anonymity and identification.