While only some industries and companies take cybersecurity seriously, the energy sector must recognize its importance. The industry has been facing increased cyber attacks, especially toward the supply chain. With renewables growing faster, there is an increased digitalization of the sector. It is of the utmost importance that renewable energy companies have the right team to face these challenges.

High Risk Attacks

The most high-risk attacks involve those to power plants or those that interrupt the energy supply to citizens. However, data breaches of management, process, operations, clients, and more, represent a risk too. In fact, every time the industry grows, new cybersecurity challenges unfold. For instance, an increase in two-way communication smart inverters in the solar industry represents a risk if there are no communication standards set.

The issues

In addition, most of the assets in the renewable industry are unmanned and are often managed at a distance or in a remote location. This can pose a threat by exposing weak security links to attackers. Good communication standards are set and the security tools implemented are not always enough. The renewable energy industry generates a lot of data and evolves too quickly, making maintenance time-consuming, and complex.

Adressing Challenges

In order to address the several cybersecurity challenges that the renewable energy sector faces, several legal frameworks have been stated. For a renewable company to be cyber resilient, it requires talent that understands the regulatory requirements and can help reach compliance and develop other controls. It is not always easy to recruit in cybersecurity for renewables, but it’s a crucial aspect of the industry.

Another important aspect is the team that handles communication with the suppliers, as they must have the skills to build trust and a sense of responsibility. In addition, a solid IT and OT security team is needed. OT teams are crucial within operations, as they make sure all control and automation technologies enable a seamless operation. Because of this, it is also important he operations team has individuals that can understand and build synergy with the IT and OT department.

With the proper talent in cyber security within your renewable company, a solid strategy can be created. It is essential that you first understand how your company might be at risk. Once you discover what devices connect to your renewables processes, you can assess the risks. After understanding the risks, start a method to control what, how and who uses the technologies in your operations. The last steps are to implement security checklists and have a dedicated team to detect breaches so they can optimize constantly.

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