Satellite Communication Technologies for Smart Grid Applications: A Comprehensive Review of GEO VSAT and LEO Constellations

Remote site connectivity remains a critical challenge in smart grid deployments, particularly for substations and monitoring points located beyond economical reach of terrestrial infrastructure. This paper presents a comprehensive review of satellite communication technologies for smart grid applications, examining the evolution from traditional Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) systems to emerging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. Through systematic analysis of 18 scholarly sources including peer-reviewed journal articles, IEEE conference proceedings, and technical reports (2009-2024), we evaluate technical capabilities, deployment experiences, and cost-effectiveness of satellite solutions for remote utility sites.

Findings indicate that GEO VSAT systems remain optimal for low-bandwidth SCADA applications in remote locations, demonstrating proven reliability (>99% availability) and disaster resilience despite inherent latency constraints (500-700ms). Emerging LEO constellations (Starlink, OneWeb) offer significant improvements with 15-20× lower latency (20-40ms), 10-50× higher bandwidth (100-500 Mbps), and 60-70% cost reduction based on reported field measurements [12], though long-term reliability data remains limited. The paper provides decision frameworks for technology selection, synthesizes deployment experiences from global utilities, and identifies critical research gaps in standardized integration approaches and comprehensive security frameworks for satellite-based critical infrastructure communications.