Power and Energy

The convergence of automation and security stands as a cornerstone in the evolution of digital substations, which has enhanced efficiency, reliability, and performance. However, the proliferation of digital solutions also introduces new challenges, particularly in ensuring the robust security of critical infrastructure.

 

 

Substations are the hearts of the power grid, enabling the complex process of transmission and distribution of electricity. Increasing new loads and maintaining system reliability while reducing machinery and labor costs is a continuous challenge for substation managers. A digital substation can help reduce costs, increase system reliability, and even integrate into eco-friendly power initiatives.

The IoT-based energy-saving and power monitoring solution helps tackle the challenges of maintaining steady power usage across machines, circuits, plant zones, or entire industrial plants, campuses, or office buildings. The smart energy monitoring system tracks energy usage at different levels, which also helps optimize energy consumption and identify machine failures.

Our modern society is highly dependent on energy, everything from light and heat in our homes to the massive data centers that support the internet. With the growing complexity of the electrical system and the rise in the number of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs), modern power substations require a high degree of automation and data communication network management to ensure the reliability of supply and efficient operation.

Ransomware is the new omnipresent cybersecurity threat to manufacturing – all security attacks that took down automation operations since 2020 were targeted ransomware. Ransomware is a threat to manufacturers as it can halt production and disrupt day-to-day operations. With the digital transformation of the manufacturing process, cyber risk management and cyber risks are constantly changing as threat landscapes and attack surfaces expand, requiring security visibility into all IT, OT, and IoT systems across all facilities.

Electrical power consumption continues to grow at a rapid pace globally, and therefore it is essential to efficiently manage power distribution to ensure reliability and reach. The development of remote substation control and automation has become fundamental to the operation of the electricity network.  

OT and IT networks operate in different environments, serve different purposes, and have different objectives and risks. IT systems primarily involves storage, retrieval, and transmission of digital information, thus will prioritize protecting data and confidentiality. An OT system will prioritize the safety and availability of equipment and processes.

For aging power utility to transform and develop into a modern substation automation system with smart grid technologies, the need for rugged computing platforms with faster processors and reliable storage capacity is essential. The many applications found in a digital substation, including intelligent human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for communication and operator terminals, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems require high performance hardware to ensure safe operation.

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