Abstract: Aiming at the problems that existing researches predominantly focused on trust assurance in single segments of virtual power plants(VPPs)and lacked the construction of the end-to-end chains of trust, a method for constructing multi-level chains of trust for distributed energy resources in VPPs was proposed to enhance data security and operational reliability. The theoretical foundation, model algorithms, construction mechanisms for chains of trust, as well as the compatibility between chains of trust technologies and VPPs' management and control requirements, were analyzed in detail. The diverse information transmission demands and challenges in typical segments of VPPs' aggregation and operation were dissected, clarifying the necessity of introducing chains of trust into VPPs' construction to enhance data control quality. Grounded in big data, cloud computing, and blockchain technologies, a distributed collaborative framework for constructing multi-level chains of trust for VPPs' resources was proposed. The theoretical foundation, model algorithms, and construction mechanisms of the framework were systematically expounded. A simulation model encompassing data quality assessment, response delay calculation, attack defense mechanisms, and cost-benefit comparison was established for validation. Simulation results showed that, compared to traditional VPPs, the proposed framework significantly improved data accuracy, substantially reduced average response time, effectively increased attack defense success rate, and lowered total operating costs. The framework effectively addressed the lack of trust across all VPPs' operational segments through a three-level collaborative mechanism for chains of trust, providing the reliable technical support for large-scale VPPs' applications.

Key words: chains of trust, virtual power plants, information security, cloud computing, blockchain