India’s ‘unprecedented’ achievements in Renewable Energy and its installation capacity have been noticed and praised across the world.
The country has already announced as well as upgraded its ambitious aim to achieve 175 GW of renewable energy capacity, consisting of 100 GW solar energy and 60 GW wind energy, by 2022 and then reach 500 GW of non-fossil fuel based emission free energy capacity by 2030.
Energy transition is happening at a lightning speed. This full-scale facelift of the energy system has begun on the lines on commitments made globally to stop or lower down the use of fossil fuels and complements India’s aim of getting the Renewable Energy installed.
By 2030, the aim for installed capacity of 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel-based clean energy will therefore lead to achieving highly needed and recommended energy independence by 2047.
This will not only allow India to just promote domestic prosperity but also reduce dependence on foreign energy supply chain that can be easily cut in case of disagreements, disputes, conflicts or wars.
However, this shift will give way to many infrastructural abilities and innovations. But with new ways, comes certain new and unexplored challenges.
Power sector stakeholders play a major role on the production side and have been expected to increasingly build an army of smart devices for efficient grid management and operation during the entire power generation, distribution, consumption or storage of clean energy.
Some of these commonly fulfil their roles on the demand side, in our homes, offices and other commercial spaces for heating, lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, water pumping, cooking, cleaning etc.
Similarly, every sector now finds a well-established link to clean energy.
Clean Energy and an Upcoming Threat
In the near future when every device is controlled virtually using Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IOT) etc., their communication and coordination with each other in real-time as well as the national grid becomes easy and absolute.
A new globally conducted research has huge insights to offer for the clean energy infrastructure that needs to create critical defences in cybersecurity for an ever-evolving energy landscape.
And hence, cybersecurity components should become an inseparable design need of the clean energy systems. This finds relevance as the Chinese hackers have supposedly tried to tweak the Indian power hubs.
For example, the clean energy distribution requires a two-way flow of energy between renewable generators, solar rooftops, panels and the grid or storage battery along with the information and feedback that plays a crucial role in this arrangement.
The fossil-free reliable power delivery is made possible with seamless end-to-end connectivity. Every solar, wind or battery installation has and will continue to have connected control systems on large scale, maybe with comparatively complex protocols to usher efficiency in command and control. This increases their vulnerability to gruesome and loss-bearing attacks.
Attackers, including terrorist foundations, may find this simple vulnerability as a major exposure to the entire national infrastructure, not to mention the sensitive assets of any country.
We have seen sufficiently in the past how simple disruptions in power supply can lead to prolonged social as well as economic consequences.
Every involved user, device and their simple interaction may become a threat that must be continuously monitored, recognized and eliminated.
Promised Energy Transition and Better Business Decision
While businesses make this shift in grace, they also extend their safeguards in this promising sector. With the expansion of networks and production arena, there is no reason to increase the attack surface.
The energy industry is already anticipating these risks and has begun to invest in cybersecurity measures in the recent years.
44 percent of the energy organisations worldwide are currently paying more than $ 50 million annually to upgrade their cyber capabilities.
Two-thirds of the energy firms currently spend between 11-20 percent of their budgets specific to Information Technology (IT) alone on cybersecurity.
However, only 35 percent of these energy organisations are confident to face the threats of tomorrow compared to a much higher 48 % in other sectors that are well positioned to do so.
Initiatives by the Indian Government in this direction
Already grappling with the threats to energy security, the Ministry of Power has also provided for conventional energy systems like thermal, hydro, their transmission, grid operations and distribution along with renewables by creating six sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).
All these CERTs coordinate via Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (ISAC-Power).
Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centers) under the National Cyber Security Policy cover all the power sector utilities that suspect hostilities of this kind.
Moreover, the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) hosted under the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) protects relevant critical energy infrastructure as provided under the Information Technology Act 2000 and its amendment in 2008.
In addition to all these safeguarding arrangements, the Grid Controller of India Limited push periodic updates for legacy systems, their associated products and accordingly certify and permit them to connect with the national grid.
What more is needed is that a mandate should exist for the components’ suppliers and software developers employed in clean energy to ensure their data centres and critical facilities are hosted within the country.
This includes setting up sufficient security parameters like firewalls or access points, maintaining incident logs, changes etc., as per the best practices worldwide.
Since time immemorial, history has recorded our mistakes and then coping with those while making another set of mistakes.
Let humankind be ready for this kind of threat while it moves towards a better future for itself and the planet!