Blockchain-based peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity markets received considerable attention in the past years, leading to a rich variety of proposed market designs. Yet, little comparability and consensus exists on optimal market design, also due to a lack of common evaluation and benchmarking infrastructure. This article describes LabChain, an interactive prototype as research infrastructure for conducting experiments in (simulated) P2P electricity markets involving real human actors. The software stack comprises: (i) an (open) data layer for experiment configuration, (ii) a blockchain layer to reliably document bids and transactions, (iii) an experiment coordination layer and (iv) a user interface layer for participant interactions. As evaluation environment for human interactions within a laboratory setting, researchers can investigate patterns based on energy system and market setup and can compare and evaluate designs under real human behavior allowing alignment of intentions and outcomes. This contributes to the evaluation and benchmarking infrastructure discourse.

Motivated by numerous drivers, blockchain-based peer-to-peer energy trade whitepapers surged in the past two years. Assuming disruption through blockchain technology, they envisioned a transformation of energy systems through technosocio- economic solutions. Few impartial and sober assessments of blockchain-based energy projects exist, and many publications praise disruptive potential without further examination. A more distant and critical perspective, however, is imperative for a responsible use of a novel, in particular disruptive, technology. This review aims at surveying the energy system envisioned by the projects through discussing the projects by their characteristics, their perspective on the transactive energy lifecycle and the energy ecosystem envisioned in the white papers. This review is descriptive and comparative in nature, and attempts to synthesize topics raised in the white papers through methods of grounded theory, as well as assessing the disruptive potential of blockchain technology in energy systems. Through this and a critical and neutral perspective, it strives to (soberly) contribute to a discussion on the digitization of elements of the energy system, and how blockchain-based use cases can contribute constructively to the problems at hand.

World energy systems are going through a continuous change. The focus has been shifted from large thermal or hydal power generation to small distributed generation, mainly based upon renewable energy systems. This transition is also backed by some governments. There have also been significant improvements in grid technology, and modern-day smart grid can provide real time bi-directional flow of data i.e. “real time energy deficit and surplus, and also real time prices to both producers and consumers. Smart grid can also accommodate intermittent small suppliers of electricity. This shift in energy generation policy and improvement in grid technology has opened ways for small scale energy producers and consumers to share energy with each other. It has also opened ways to purchase or sale energy to unknown peers over a smart grid. Need has been felt to store these transactions among peers in a secure, non-alterable yet quickly accessible way. Blockchain technology offers to provide this secure, unalterable yet quickly accessible ledger. In this study this transition process and role of blockchain technology for future energy systems has been historically reviewed. It has been found out that on top of keeping record of Peer to Peer transactions, blockchain technology can fill many other purposes. However, technology is still not matured for large scale projects, Research projects are underway to decrease the large time and energy consumption for block building computational processes yet keeping them safe and reliable.