Comment: The role of IoT in the UK’s new energy security strategy

The UK government has recently set out a strategy to tackle climate change and ensure a secure energy supply. The Energy Security Plan has been designed to reduce the UK's reliance on fossil fuels, establish new forms of energy generation, and develop more efficient means of storing, managing, and distributing energy.

For this strategy to be effective, energy providers must rely heavily on the Internet of things (IoT) to ensure always-on, secure and reliable connectivity, as millions of devices are integrated into the UK's critical national infrastructure (CNI).
What is the Energy Security Plan?
The plan builds on the ambitions set out in the British Energy Security Strategy and the Net Zero Strategy. It is based on three objectives, the first of which being a commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Second is the goal to boost energy independence, with Britain producing more of its own energy and becoming less reliant on imports from other countries, such as Russia where supply can be volatile. The third objective is to make energy bills more affordable for households and businesses amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

To meet these objectives the government has set out several measures and investment plans. Some of the funding that has already been announced includes more than £380m to boost electric vehicle (EV) charging points and infrastructure across the country to support the rollout of EVs, a £160m fund to support port infrastructure projects for offshore wind farms will also be introduced, as well as the £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.

The role of IoT in energy security

For these projects to become a reality, particularly when it comes to establishing a new energy infrastructure, IoT will be critical. IoT devices can be used to monitor and control energy generation, distribution, and consumption. The data collected can then be used to ensure a secure energy supply and reduce costs.

As an example, IoT devices routinely monitor the performance of wind turbines and solar panels. This information is then used to predict when maintenance is needed, which can help to avoid costly outages. IoT devices can also be used to control the flow of energy in the grid. This assists with balancing supply and demand and preventing blackouts. In addition, connected devices and systems can contribute to carbon tracking and smart-metre energy monitoring, enabling data exchange for microgrids and supporting mechanisms for selling energy back into the network.

As outlined, IoT has the potential to make a significant contribution to the UK's journey toward energy security. By improving the efficiency of the energy system and reducing costs, IoT networks and devices can help the UK to achieve its net zero emissions target and become more energy independent.

Cybersecurity Concerns

Despite the important role they play in Britain’s renewable energy model, the integration of IoT devices into the energy system broadens the attack surface of critical national infrastructure and that can pose a significant cybersecurity risk. After all, any device that is connected to the internet immediately becomes vulnerable to cyberattacks. If a malicious actor were to succeed, it could disrupt the energy supply, cause blackouts or worse.

The government is aware of the cybersecurity risks associated with the IoT, and has published a series of documents offering best practice for securing IoT devices. These documents provide advice on how to select the best devices, configure them properly, and monitor them for security threats.

To ensure privacy and security across IoT devices, AI and automation needs to play a bigger role in energy networks. Companies should seek out providers offering solutions that defend infrastructure, such as secure private networking, which keeps data private and ensures encrypted connectivity, and built in authentication techniques. Additionally, automated anomaly detection helps companies spot any abnormal behaviour and minimise cyber-attack surfaces. Once anomalies are detected, automated countermeasures can isolate a security threat, and initiate remedial action by, for example, taking a device out of service.

Through working closely with industry, the government is also developing new cybersecurity standards for IoT devices. These standards will help to ensure that IoT devices are designed and built with security in mind, helping to mitigate cybersecurity risk, allowing the technology to safely underpin Britain’s energy strategy.

Iain Davidson, senior product manager, Wireless Logic