Cybersecurity in smart local energy systems: requirements, challenges, and standards

Dong, S., Cao, J., Flynn, D. and Fan, Z. (2022) Cybersecurity in smart local energy systems: requirements, challenges, and standards. Energy Informatics, 5, 9. (doi: 10.1186/s42162-022-00195-7)

Abstract

Smart local energy system (SLES) can support tailored regional solutions through the orchestration of cyber physical architectures, coordinating distributed technologies, with operational and forecasting models across all energy actors. Unprecedented access to new information, data streams and remotely accessible control can substantially benefit the multi-objective optimisation of multiple performance metrics. Given the expansion of this internet of things (IoT) and cyber-physical system (CPS), it is important to not only design effective detection and management of potential cybersecurity issues, but also to address the challenges in having affective and adaptive governance—built on standards to ensure the security of the IoT to minimise risks and harms to all users. This study conducts an extensive and critical investigation into the existing standards and identifies areas to focus on as to support the expansive adoption of cyber physical networks. Although existing standards and protocols are highly fragmented, our findings suggest that many of them can meet the requirements of the applications and infrastructures of SLES. Additionally, many standards have been introduced to protect information security and personal privacy due to their increasing importance. The research also suggests that the industry needs to produce more affordable and cyber-secured devices and services. For the government and regulators, relevant guidelines on the minimum function and security requirements for applications should be provided. Additionally, compliance testing and certifications should be in place and carried out by an independent third party to ensure the components of SLES ecosystem with a satisfied security level by design.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Funding: This work was partially supported by the EPSRC EnergyREV project (EP/S031863/1). This work was also supported by the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator project (SEND, grant ref. 32R16P00706) funded by ERDF and BEIS.
• Keywords: Research, Cybersecurity, Standards, Smart local energy system, Distributed energy resource
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Flynn, Professor David
• Authors: Dong, S., Cao, J., Flynn, D., and Fan, Z.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• Journal Name: Energy Informatics
• Publisher: SpringerOpen
• ISSN: 2520-8942
• ISSN (Online): 2520-8942
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © The Author(s) 2022
• First Published: First published in Energy Informatics 5:9
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence