Aims

The project aims to improve the cybersecurity of grid-connected Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). It will develop an up-to-date threat model that covers the full BESS ecosystem, use that model to inform secure and practical system architecture and produce recommendations to support the secure design, deployment and standardisation of these systems.

Overview

Battery Energy Storage Systems are essential to integrating renewable energy and are becoming central to the stable operation of the power grid. The UK's Clean Power Action Plan projects that 23 to 27 GW of battery capacity will be needed by 2030, up from 4.5 GW in 2024. To operate, these systems must communicate with controllers and energy management systems, creating potential attack surfaces. Many are internet-connected, remain in service for years and are deployed in a fragmented market of evolving vendors, software and standards. An electricity system that was once closed and tightly regulated is becoming open and software-defined, and the threat model is changing with it. This will matter more as bi-directional EV charging becomes common and vehicles begin to act as grid-connected batteries.

This project, delivered by the University of Manchester with industry partner WattStack, establishes a technical baseline for grid-connected BESS, develops a realistic threat model informed by real deployment practice and translates the findings into guidance for secure system design. Outputs will be shared with industry and standards stakeholders to support secure deployment at scale.

Results and Outcomes