Security and Resilience of Grid Integration with Distributed Energy Resources: Lessons Learned and Future Outlook

NREL Cybersecurity & Resilience Workshop

The security and resilience of grid Integration with distributed energy resources (DER) is becoming a high priority topic in the United States, largely driven by the increasing volume of new distributed generation (including renewable energy) and storage coming online at the transmission, distribution, and customer premises levels to meet state and federal Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and satisfy customer demand for energy choices. The challenges with securing DER integration with the grid are based on the exponential proliferation of new cyber-attack surfaces, physical access to devices by potential hackers, and the ubiquitous use of the TCP/IP protocol for network communications with several possible touch points with the malware-ridden public internet. Several public and private sector groups are researching this topic from a technology, business process, and policy perspective. This workshop is an attempt to bring the key stakeholder groups across the United States to come together to discuss:

1. The lessons learned from ongoing R&D work in DER integration with the grid
2. The gaps that still exist in securing DER integration to the grid
3. Recommend next steps in R&D to fill the gaps (future outlook)

The workshop will also provide an opportunity for the different R&D working groups in this space to network with each other and explore closer collaboration to maximize the value derived from the funds and the research in grid and DER infrastructure across the nation. The stakeholder groups will include: utilities; vendors; integrators; trade associations; standards specification groups; standards development organizations; state, federal and local government agencies; academia; national and commercial labs; and individual subject matter experts.

Some of the specific topics for discussion for grid integration with DER will include:

1. Innovative strategies for enabling convergence of compliance and security/reliability
2. Cybersecurity challenges with Internet of Things
3. Cybersecurity implications for IT/OT Convergence
4. How to mitigate risks from social engineering and phishing schemes?
5. Optimal balance between theoretical and empirical research in cybersecurity and resilience
6. Supply Chain Risk Management
7. The need for an all-hazards approach to security and resilience
8. Building security into a system lifecycle
9. Understanding security challenges - from threat to consequence
10. Role of Software Defined Networking and Wide Area Network Virtualization in improving the security posture
11. Evolution of intrusion detection systems for SCADA Systems
12. How to build multi-layer security architecture?
13. How to accelerate the adoption of cybersecurity and resilience standards from specifications to commercially available certified technologies?

One of the key deliverables from the workshop will be a set of recommendations for DoE, NIST, DoD, and NSF to consider for a new round of R&D in cybersecurity and resilience of grid integration with DER to address critical gaps.

The workshop will include a tour of the NREL Energy Systems Integration Facility with a technical deep dive on the newly constructed cybersecurity testbed for security and resilience R&D for DER integration with the grid. The workshop will have a keynote address followed by panel discussions and breakout sessions for deliberating on the topics listed above.

Workshop Agenda

July 13, 2016

9:00 AM: Welcome: Erfan Ibrahim (NREL)

9:15 AM: Opening Remarks: Bryan Hannegan (NREL)

9:30 AM: Keynote Address: Jeff Katz (IBM)

10:15 AM: Mid-Morning Break

10:30 AM: 1st Panel Moderator Remarks: Andy Bochman (INL)

10:45 AM: 1st Panel Discussion: Andy Bochman (Moderator)

11:30 AM: 2nd Panel Moderator Remarks: Nadya Bartol (UTC)

11:45 AM: 2nd Panel Discussion: Nadya Bartol (Moderator)

12:30 PM: Lunch

1:30 PM: ESIF Tours & Cyber Demo: 4 Groups of 15 each (James Bosch, Erfan Ibrahim, Murali Baggu & Bryan Palmintier from NREL leading)

3:00 PM: 3rd Panel Moderator Remarks: Juan Torres (SNL)

3:15 PM: 3rd Panel Discussion: Juan Torres (Moderator)

4:00 PM: Afternoon Break

4:15 PM: Breakout Sessions: 6 Panel Moderators as breakout session leads

5:00 PM: Report back to plenary session: Summary reports from session leads

5:30 PM: End of Day

7:00 PM: Dinner at a local restaurant (Self-paid)

July 14, 2016

8:00 AM: Welcome: Erfan Ibrahim

8:15 AM: 4th Panel Moderator Remarks: Paul Skare (PNNL)

8:30 AM: 4th Panel Discussion: Paul Skare (Moderator)

9:15 AM: 5th Panel Moderator Remarks: Thomas Williams (CA ISO)

9:30 AM: 5th Panel Discussion: Thomas Williams (Moderator)

10:15 AM: Mid-Morning Break

10:30 AM: Breakout Sessions: 6 Panel Moderators as breakout session leads

11:15 AM: Report back to plenary session: Summary reports from session leads

11:45 AM: Lunch

12:30 PM: International Speaker & Fireside Chat: Anna Magdalena Kosek, Research Scientist, Technical University of Denmark, Power System Operation and Management Group; Erfan Ibrahim (Moderator)

1:15 PM: 6th Panel Moderator Remarks: Carol Hawk (DoE OE CEDS)

1:30 PM: 6th Panel Session: Carol Hawk (Moderator)

2:15 PM: Closeout Meeting with Action Items: Plenary session with all panel moderators facilitating

3:15 PM: Final Remarks: Erfan Ibrahim

3:30 PM: Meeting Adjourned

NOTE: Attendees who are foreign nationals must complete a Foreign National Data Card and submit it to Tami.Reynolds@nrel.gov no later than Monday, June 27, 2016.