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In the last decade, Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been applied overwhelmingly in various research domains in the context of smart grid. It has been one of the main streams of advanced technological approaches that the research community offered for developing smart grids. However, the broad scope of the subject matter has launched complexity for scholars to identify effective research approaches. In this paper, we present a literature review about utilizing AI in the key elements of smart grids including grid-connected vehicles, data-driven components, and the power system network. This will result in highlighting technical challenges of the integration of electric vehicles to the grid and the power network operation as well. Moreover, we discuss the four key research areas in the context of AI and its applications in intelligent power grids. The proposed research fields aid PhD candidates to consider these areas as the promising domains for investigation.

Photovoltaic (PV) installers and non-technical solar energy consumers use PV planning software for the system design and simulation. End-users rely on the designed system and power estimations provided by these tools. However, most planning software products fail to consider shading conditions. This problem affects energy forecasting for solar power plants located in cold climates. In this paper, we define the status of full shading for a snow-covered panel and the minimum depth of snow creating it. Using a case study, we design the project by the most reliable planning software, System Advisor Model (SAM). We show that the simulation overestimates power generations for snowy months. To identify shading conditions and the correlated performance reductions, we compare the SAM results with the measured data collected onsite. As a result, the minimum depth of snow that can create full shading and zero production is detected. Moreover, comparing the measured data with the simulated power helps us to define a rule-base system providing PV performance reduction factors. It assists solar sector practitioners to plan a PV project accurately, especially for the locations where snowfall is an important environmental factor for several months.