Rising vitality applied sciences are remodeling the electrical grid by including flexibility, reliability and expanded energy technology, however may also improve cyber threat, since many legacy gadgets weren’t constructed to satisfy at present’s cybersecurity expectations.
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UL Options has launched a new certification program that creates the primary industry-wide cybersecurity baseline for distributed vitality assets (DER) and inverter-based gadgets, akin to microgrids, batteries, hydrogen programs and electrical car infrastructure. This certification program supplies producers, utilities, regulators and grid operators with a consensus-based framework for mitigating that threat.
“Our new cybersecurity testing and certification program brings readability and customary expectations by offering a standards-driven step to cut back cyber threat, which is crucial for grid reliability, defending infrastructure and rising public confidence within the new applied sciences that energy communities,” stated Ken Boyce, PV at UL Options. “By combining cybersecurity analysis with security testing, we assist producers embed safety from the beginning and provides consumers confidence in distributed vitality and inverter-based merchandise.”
Testing for this cybersecurity certification follows necessities in UL 2941, the “Normal for Cybersecurity of Distributed Power and Inverter-Based mostly Sources,” which units cybersecurity necessities for networked, software-driven gadgets that deal with important vitality flows and have an effect on grid stability. The usual encompasses technical controls, akin to entry administration and cryptography, in addition to coverage areas together with the dealing with of delicate knowledge and documentation.
It’s designed to enhance present security testing, UL 1741, the “Normal for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Tools for Use With Distributed Power Sources” — not change it — giving producers choices for find out how to meet the required protections.
The brand new cybersecurity certification program advanced from fieldwork, together with take a look at instances revealed by the U.S. Division of Power’s Nationwide Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in 2019, which targeted on authentication, authorization, confidentiality and knowledge integrity for microgrid communications. These efforts highlighted the necessity for a devoted cybersecurity commonplace that accommodates the various vary of DER and inverter-based applied sciences and their complicated possession constructions.
“As vitality assets combine with the grid, cybersecurity can now not be an afterthought and should be constructed into gadget design and deployment,” stated Danish Saleem, senior researcher in NLR’s Cybersecurity Analysis Heart. “Certification to UL 2941 by UL Options offers the {industry} a rigorous, sensible path to verify these protections are in place, rising confidence for utilities, homeowners and communities that rely on these assets.”
Be taught extra concerning the cybersecurity of distributed vitality and inverter-based assets.
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