Cyber-Physical Studies for Smart Grid Sustainability and Resilience

Integrating renewables, power system infrastructure is becoming more digitally connected to ensure safer, more efficient, and decarbonized future. The challenge is that infrastructure is becoming increasingly vulnerable the more connected it becomes. A geopolitical tension with increased risks of cyber-attacks to critical infrastructure, and importance of security of energy supply shape power system this decade. To form and provide a solid foundation, to exploit the full range of system benefits from consumer engagement strategies to the use of flexible mechanisms in an efficient energy system, it is necessary to advance digitalization through an energy system integration strategy, including data exchange. From the perspective of control and stability of converter-dominated systems and the introduction of microgrids into the ever-expanding grid, the development of scalable and reliable control schemes is an urgent need. From the overall smart grid perspective, energy professionals are ready to offer different solutions, for different parts of the grid and voltage levels, to keep the lights on towards a reliable and resilient future of the society. Different aspects of cyber-physical mechanisms for flexible, reliable and resilient smart grid utilization are discussed in the paper. The key factors and barriers for critical infrastructure resilience and sustainability are summarised from the perspective of power system performance, behaviour and processes.

Keywords: Cyber-security, Power system, Digitalization, Critical infrastructure.