PROJECT TITLE

SDN – microgrid reSilient Electrical eNergy SystEm

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

The SDN-microSENSE project intends to provide a set of secure, privacy-enabled and resilient to cyberattacks tools, thus ensuring the normal operation of Electric Power and Energy Systems (EPES) as well as the integrity and the confidentiality of communications. In particular, adopting an SDN-based technology, SDN-microSENSE develops a three-layer security architecture, by deploying and implementing risk assessment processes, self-healing capabilities, large-scale distributed detection and prevention mechanisms, as well as an overlay privacy protection framework. Firstly, the risk assessment framework identifies the risk level of each component of EPES, identifying the possible threats and vulnerabilities. Accordingly, in the context of self-healing, islanding schemes and energy management processes are deployed, isolating the critical parts of the network in the case of emergency. Furthermore, collaborative intrusion detection tools are used to detect and prevent possible threats and anomalies timely. Finally, the overlay privacy protection framework focuses on privacy issues, including homomorphic encryption and anonymity processes.

SDN-microSENSE demonstrates a secure, resilient to cyber-attacks, privacy-enabled, and protected against data breaches solution for decentralised EPES by employing a set of advanced cutting-edge technologies targeting at:

• performing collaborative and distributed risk assessment involving all energy actors,
• strengthening EPES domains with self-healing capabilities based on islanding and fast grid recovery processes exploiting renewable sources,
•  enabling effective energy exchange between microgrids and residential prosumers,
• implementing a large-scale cybersecurity solution by integrating innovative components for detecting and preventing cyberattacks, privacy violations and various threats,
• building a decentralised security information and event management (SIEM) tool for decision support concerning anomaly detection and response enhanced with advanced machine learning capabilities,
• realising an end-to-end privacy framework that involves all types of users and stakeholders to protect against data breaches,
• demonstrating and validating all tools/systems/processes through detailed real-world scenarios with emulated/simulated cyberattacks, and
• contributing to international standardisation activities for promoting sustainable and compatible EPES cybersecurity approaches.

8BELLS ROLE

8BELLS provides its expertise in the domain of asset risk assessment and management in EPES systems and contributes to the implementation of the different SDN-microSENSE components. Furthermore, 8BELLS identifies potential problems that might occur upon grid failure and grid reconnection and develops energy restoration procedures that are activated in case of emergency. Finally, 8BELLS conducts a thorough market analysis and leads the commercialisation planning activities of the SDN-microSENSE solution.