"Engineers Develop Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Solar, Wind Power on the Grid"

Engineers at Iowa State University are working on a project aimed at securing renewable energy sources from cyberattacks. Solar panels and wind turbines, which are expected to generate 44 percent of America's electricity by 2050, pose a cybersecurity risk. They have sensors, controllers, actuators, or inverters connected to the Internet, either directly or indirectly. Many have insecure connections to legacy electric grid systems. Therefore, cybersecurity systems are needed to prevent, detect, and mitigate attacks on renewable sources sending power to the grid. The team of researchers is developing those cybersecurity systems as part of a $12 million, six-project effort by the US Department of Energy (DOE). With a three-year, $2 million grant, the energy department is supporting the Iowa State-led effort. Through the project, dubbed "GridDeep," the researchers will explore, build, and demonstrate a physics-based system that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to strengthen the cybersecurity of the country's energy delivery systems. Next-generation, AI-integrated cyber-physical security technology and tools developed as part of the project can help ensure that energy delivery systems are designed, installed, operated, and maintained to quickly recover from cyberattacks. As those energy delivery systems continue to grow in complexity, AI technology will help electricity producers better understand their systems, quickly respond to attacks, and restore critical functions. This article continues to discuss the goals and support of the GridDeep project. 

ISU reports "Engineers Develop Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Solar, Wind Power on the Grid"