Smart Grid provides unprecedented transparency for energy providers by synchronizing the capabilities of specific electricity networks based on information collected and transported within smart grid networks.
In smart grids, the detailed information collected by multiple energy-generating plants, substations, transformers, and other components is transferred to the energy provider delivering them detailed insights. Based on this information, they can manage power fluctuations to keep the electricity network stable.
Prior to the deployment of smart grids, an electricity provider had no overview of which energy-generating plants feed how much electricity into the network at any point in time. The number of plants generating electricity from sustainable sources such as solar or wind power is increasing the unpredictability of energy-generating plants. This is due to the fact that more and more private individuals or companies are operating power generation systems and feeding energy into the grid, making it even more complicated.
If the number of uncoordinated suppliers escalates, the risk of unstable networks increases.
Using smart grid capabilities with the data collected by smart metering networks in organizations, companies and private households, energy providers can fine-tune the electricity networks, perform statistical evaluations to make predictions on the seasonal or future electricity use, and can configure their networks and power supply accordingly.
Based on its capabilities, smart grid is one of the energy sector’s future-oriented technologies. It contributes to making electricity networks more flexible, efficient, and sustainable.
However, it also presents a risk as smart grid networks consist of hundreds or even thousands of connected endpoints. Each endpoint can be the loophole for an attack affecting not only that endpoint but the entire smart grid network. Therefore, complete protection of the smart grid is crucial to effectively prevent any incident.
Applications for Smart Grid
Key Injection
Secures payment processes and identities of smart devices by injecting keys generated by HSMs.
Hardware Security Module for General Purpose Use Cases
Enables key generation, storage, and exchange. Addresses various performance levels and physical security requirements while fulfilling compliance and regulatory mandates.
Public Key Infrastructures
Establishes trust relationships between connected entities such as devices, networks, applications and users. PKI is a long-proven technology providing the foundation for secure authentication, confidentiality in communication, and the integrity of data generated and exchanged.
Tokenization
Replacing sensitive data with non-sensitive tokens to enable secure business operations without sharing sensitive information.
Timestamping
Providing reliable proof of time, highly secure, and accurate timestamps are an ideal solution to enable trustworthy digitalization of business processes and ensure reliability for many use cases across all industries.
Securing Blockchain Assets
Providing specific cryptographic algorithms to create and verify blockchain transactions and protecting sensitive assets used in blockchain processes.
