With rising DER levels, utilities across the U.S. are beginning to design communication and control systems that will be used to manage and monitor inverter-based resources. The architectures to manage these resources include both direct (utility DERMS-to-DER) and aggregator pathways. As these designs are progressing, there has been broad recognition of the need for “DER gateways”. DER gateways are equipment deployed at each DER site, connecting the DER to the managing entity’s DER aggregator or distribution system operator system via the IEEE 1547 standard local interface. Although they reside at the DER site, these gateways are part of the monitoring and management system rather than the consumer’s DER.

DER gateways are being planned for a wide range of functionalities, as is a new IEEE recommended practice being developed in 1547.10. The chief driver for DER gateways, however, is cybersecurity. Nationwide, DER management systems, including secure DER gateways, will represent a substantial investment in infrastructure and serve as a foundation for the transition to a renewable, carbon-free power system, through reliable and efficient management of DERs.

This panel will discuss the various cybersecurity challenges for DER integration, the opportunities and needed DER gateway cybersecurity features being researched and developed by EPRI, government agencies, vendors, and utilities to address these challenges, and the current IEEE 1547 efforts to provide industry guidance on secure DER gateways.