Revolutionizing Grid Security: Advancing Clean Energy Through Cybersecurity Innovations and Operational Technology Solutions

The Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator (CECA), a program established in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) and utilities, is making strides to reduce cybersecurity risks in the electric sector. The initiative focuses on accelerating the deployment of cutting-edge operational technology (OT) security solutions.

Building on the success of its inaugural cohort, CECA recently convened a second round, targeting the challenges of industrial control systems (ICS) and the vulnerabilities stemming from incomplete system visibility.

A newly released report highlights CECA’s evaluation of Asimily’s risk management platform, tested by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The platform demonstrated enhanced capabilities in device inventory management, vulnerability mitigation, risk modeling, threat detection, and incident response, significantly improving the visibility of connected devices.

“This program unites Federal expertise, energy sector asset owners, and technology innovators to design and implement grid technologies that are both cost-effective and secure by design,” said Puesh Kumar, Director of CESER. “With NREL’s world-class facilities, innovators gain a pathway to validate and demonstrate secure, renewable energy technologies.”

Nick Blair, technical team lead at NREL, emphasized that the second CECA cohort aligns with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework’s “identify” function. “It’s fascinating to explore how companies address this critical function in OT and future energy systems,” Blair said.

This collaborative effort between Federal stakeholders and the private sector aims to fortify the grid’s security while supporting its evolution to incorporate clean energy technologies.