## 5 Conclusions  
This article has discussed the innovative framework introduced by the Smart5 Grid European-funded project towards effectively incorporating 5G-based solutions in four real-life energy management scenarios, aiming to achieve more effective management and monitoring of correlated smart grids. In the scope of our work, we have delineated the requirements imposed by the modern energy systems, aiming to better and more deeply integrate information and communication technology (ICT) so as to realize better management for the smart grids and, most importantly, optimization of their operation. The Smart5 Grid context strongly supports this challenge by providing an appropriate digital layer to ensure the proper availability and functionality of the involved 5G communications infrastructure, together with the offering of suitable NetApps able to serve fundamental needs. Our work identifies essential functionalities for the smart grids that may affect both the behavior and the performance of the 5G converged networks of the future, serving a great variety of vertical applications. Our innovative approach focuses mainly on the introduction of an appropriate NetApp able to be deployed as container-based components and taking advantage of the cloud/edge infrastructure when deployed. Specifically, the major outcomes of this work include the detailed definition of the Smart5 Grid platform and the innovative concept of NetApps. The latter refers to the domain-specific definition and development of applications, which will require 5G communication. This concept takes into account the 5G SBA and provides a joint framework for application and network management, among others. As such, this SBA model was further elaborated for the definition and the detailed specifications of the proposed Smart5 Grid platform. This is an open cross-domain platform that includes the energy and the telecommunication domain along with open interfaces for third parties to assess their custom energy-related NetApps. Each of the platform components was specified in terms of its functionality and interoperability with other components of the platform. Furthermore, this article also presents a set of different use cases with different communication requirements. These requirements were further elaborated in terms of their impact on the definition and interplay between the Smart5 Grid components, which are guided by the NetApp specific descriptors and scenarios. As our intention was to promote solutions that could be widely adopted by the respective market sectors and could fulfill expectations for both developers and consumers, we have proposed a dedicated Smart5 Grid platform that integrates most of our innovative solutions. Further, we have developed a detailed reference architecture that proposes, for the first time, a purely innovative framework comprising three distinct but interoperable layers, including the OSR and V&V framework, the virtualization of the telecommunications and energy infrastructures, each one corresponding to different groups of functionalities. These three fundamental layers have been discussed in detail with the aim of presenting their specific elements/components together with the related operational features. Each component and most of the performed processes are correlated to dedicated NetApps. Aiming to focus upon real-life applications that are at the forefront of the challenges faced by modern energy markets, we identified four use cases that have all been discussed and assessed under a similar conceptual framework for their evaluation. That is, we described separately each use case, explained its specific context in order to achieve specific targets, and identified expected goals and benefits. Then, we set corresponding requirements and discussed proposed and appropriate NetApps, together with dedicated site architectures/infrastructures. All these form a proper set of references for the next steps of the Smart5 Grid project, currently implementing its open 5G experimental platform.