IEEE DAY MTT-S Talk: Communications at the Grid Edge: From Modbus to MQTT – Enabling Connected Energy Systems

IEEE Day Talk from the IEEE MTT-S Chapter of Thompson Okanagan Section.

The transition to sustainable energy depends not only on better power electronics but also on robust communication frameworks that link devices across the grid edge. From programmable solid-state circuit breakers to electric-vehicle chargers and energy-harvesting IoT sensors, these devices must exchange data reliably and securely often over constrained links and with limited energy budgets.

This talk explores the practical communications technologies that make these systems work in the field. I will discuss the role of Modbus for legacy device integration, the use of REST-based APIs for interoperability with modern cloud services, and how MQTT and Protobuf enable lightweight, scalable communication for distributed energy resources. The talk also highlights the unique challenges of supporting energy-harvesting devices, which impose strict constraints on bandwidth, latency, and power consumption.

Drawing on more than a decade of hands-on experience architecting communication solutions for EV-to-grid integration, home-energy management, and industrial IoT systems  as well as ongoing PhD research in energy harvesting, I will share lessons learned, design trade-offs, and opportunities for innovation. Attendees will gain the perspective on building communication architectures that are secure, interoperable, and ready for the next generation of connected energy systems.