Building an Effective Security Program for Distributed Energy Resources and Systems. Mariana Hentea
than workflow, which takes precedence. This is a delicate balance but one that the industry will need to develop and embrace [Vos 2009].
In the Smart Grid, the evidence of the essential role of standards is growing. A Congressional Research Service report, for example, cited the ongoing deployment of smart meters as an area in need of widely accepted standards. The US investment in smart meters predicted to be at least $40 billion for a million new smart meters over a period of five years [Kaplan 2009], [ON World 2009], [WH 2016].
The principle of using open standards is highly encouraged to support interoperability and therefore help popularize new technologies [Microsoft 2002]. An open standard is a standard that is publicly available and has various rights to use associated with it. It may also include an explanation of how it was designed and why (e.g. open process). There is no single definition, and interpretations vary with usage [Open Standard]. Among known standards organizations, only the IETF and ITU‐T explicitly refer to their standards as open standards that allow reasonable and nondiscriminatory patent licensing fee requirements. However, those in the open‐source software community think that an open standard is only open if it can be freely adopted, implemented, and extended.
1.8.3.1 Key Players in Smart Grid Standards Development
The major key players involved in the development of standards supporting the Smart Grid include:
NIST – Private agency (former federal technology agency).
ISA – International organization of engineers in control of industrial processes.
SGIP (Smart Grid Interoperability Panel) – Different areas.
UCA International User Group – Suppliers of electric/gas/water utility systems.
GridWise Alliance – Transform the US electric grid to achieve a sustainable energy future.
EPRI/EEI – Research and innovation in many areas.
ZigBee Alliance – Low‐power radio inside buildings.
Wi‐Fi – Interoperability of wireless products.
IEEE P2030 – Standards and guidelines for Smart Grid applications.
IRENA – International renewable integration.
ISO – International standards; technology standards.
IEC – Active in many areas of the Smart Grid.
IETF – Internet standards in many areas of the Smart Grid.
ITU‐T – Active in many areas of the telecommunications and Smart Grid.
ANSI – Working on meters.
NAESB – North America industry interoperability standards for gas and electricity.
NEMA – Electrical equipment manufacturers.
NRECA – Electric cooperative utilities.
State legislatures.
Federal/state regulators.
FERC – US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
NERC – Reliability of US interconnected systems including portions of Canada and Mexico.
ITU‐T – Communications and many Smart Grid applications.
OASIS – Cross‐domain standards for services to enable machine‐based scheduling of human‐centric activities.
ASHRAE – HVAC and refrigeration standards.
IETF – Internet standards for the Smart Grid.
SAE – Communication between PEV and the electric power grid.
OpenADR Alliance – Standards for DR implementations.
Bacnet – Standards for commercial buildings and integration with the Smart Grid.
OPC – Standards for open connectivity of ICSs and process control.
One of the most important side benefits of the Smart Grid is the work being performed by government and industry groups in collaboration. Developing interoperability standards plays a key role in supporting grid modernization.
The work of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and industry associations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) and trade groups like the GridWise Alliance (GWA) and GridWise Architecture Council (GWAC) all contribute to establishing the definitions and specifications for connecting grid devices. These groups have enabled rapid progress forward in the development of the Smart Grid. Processes are already in place to close the gaps in current standards. Most grid‐focused interoperability projects that adhere to the current standards can now move forward with a high degree of confidence. The most active of these groups include the GridWise Architecture Council and NIST’s SGIP.
1.8.3.1.1 GridWise Architecture Council
The GridWise Architecture Council includes members from different domains of Smart Grid technology that is sponsored by DOE. Although NIST has been assigned the primary responsibility to coordinate development of a standards framework for information management to achieve interoperability of Smart Grid devices and systems, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) requires that NIST consult with GWAC to define the standards and set up investment grants.
The GridWise Architecture Council has enormous influence in the development of the Smart Grid framework and the GWAC stack, adapted from the OSI layered stack, which helped to stimulate innovation in the computer industry.
1.8.3.1.2 NIST Smart Grid Interoperability Panel
The NIST initiated the SGIP in 2009 to support NIST in fulfilling its responsibility, under the EISA, to coordinate standard development for the Smart Grid. Since January 2013, SGIP (http://sgip.org) entered a new phase – self‐sustaining entity with the majority of funding to come from industry stakeholders. The NIST SGIP is the way NIST interacts with the electricity industry and other stakeholders. They are working on Smart Grid standards, developing priority action plans, and designing the testing and certification standards. SGIP developed the Smart Grid conceptual model and cybersecurity requirements [NISTIR 7628r1] including recommendations for security solutions. Specific NIST activities include:
Identifying existing applicable standards.
Addressing and solving gaps where a standard extension or new standard is needed.
Identifying overlaps where multiple standards address some common information.
NIST maintains an active role and continues to support SGIP’s mission to provide a framework for coordinating all Smart Grid stakeholders in an effort to accelerate standard harmonization and advance the interoperability of Smart Grid devices and systems. The catalog of standards (http://sgip.org/Catalog‐of‐Standards) is a compendium of standards and practices considered to be relevant for the development and deployment of a robust and interoperable Smart Grid. The catalog is expected to be a larger compilation that can support the FERC, but it is independent of FERC decision making.
The SGIP has several priority‐specific committees and working groups. NIST maintains an active presence in these groups. Among these groups, we mention the cybersecurity (SGCC) group and domain expert working groups (DEWGs). The SGCC working group identifies and analyzes security requirements and develops a risk mitigation strategy to ensure the security and integrity of the Smart Grid. DEWGs perform analyses and provide