Towards a Secure Smart Grid Storage Communications Gateway

TL;DR

This paper discusses cybersecurity measures for a smart grid storage communications gateway, focusing on security requirements, configuration, privacy, and real-world implementation within a European project to enhance energy efficiency.

Contribution

It provides detailed security guidelines and practical implementation insights for secure smart energy communication devices in the context of smart grids.

Findings

Security measures implemented in a real gateway device.

Guidelines for node and communication line security.

Demonstration across six sites within a European project.

Abstract

This research in progress paper describes the role of cyber security measures undertaken in an ICT system for integrating electric storage technologies into the grid. To do so, it defines security requirements for a communications gateway and gives detailed information and hands-on configuration advice on node and communication line security, data storage, coping with backend M2M communications protocols and examines privacy issues. The presented research paves the road for developing secure smart energy communications devices that allow enhancing energy efficiency. The described measures are implemented in an actual gateway device within the HORIZON 2020 project STORY, which aims at developing new ways to use storage and demonstrating these on six different demonstration sites.