Our energy transition is leading towards a network with more and more decentralized energy production. During sunny summer days, a significant part of the Dutch electricity is produced by solar installations. Many of the used solar installations contain invertors which are remotely monitored and maintained by their manufacturers. As a result, owners of solar installations can monitor their systems and in case of negative energy prices, the invertors can even be shut down automatically[1].
There is an increasing concern that these invertors can be hacked. Such a hack could result in an attacker controlling the solar installation, turning it on and off at will. This would create the possible situation in which a coordinated attack of multiple solar panel installations, might have a significant effect on the electricity network. Aim of the assignment is to research the possible impact of such an attack.
As part of the assignment, a (section of a) electricity network should be modelled, in which assumptions are made about the amount and mix of different types and brands of invertors. Based on this model, the impact of a coordinated attack on the network should be quantified.
Important part of this assignment is to combine knowledge of the energy networks with cybersecurity knowledge and electrical knowledge.
Links:
- Solar Edge automatically pause production due to negative utility rates: SolarEdge Inverters – Automatically pause production due to negative utility rates - EU - APP note
- RDI analysis of security of invertors: Omvormers kunnen storing veroorzaken en zijn vaak makkelijk te hacken | Nieuwsbericht | Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (RDI)
- Topsector energie Secura research: Maatregelen cyberveiligheid zonneketen
- Presentation CCC, hacked invertor: https://media.ccc.de/v/37c3-11810-decentralized_energy_production_green_future_or_cybersecurity_nightmare#t=112.
For more information, contact Gerwin Hoogsteen or Roland Rijswijk-Deij:
