IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v383y2025ics0306261925000947.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cybersecurity of distributed energy resource systems in the smart grid: A survey

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Juanwei
  • Yan, Jun
  • Kemmeugne, Anthony
  • Kassouf, Marthe
  • Debbabi, Mourad

Abstract

Distributed energy resources (DERs) are increasingly proliferating worldwide, driven by their benefits in promoting energy sustainability, efficiency, and resiliency. Coordinated approaches are crucial for aggregating diverse DERs across large areas, yet the increasing reliance on information technology exposes power systems to cyber attacks. What are the evolving cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and risks associated with integrating DERs in various applications? Moreover, how can a comprehensive defense-in-depth framework be developed to efficiently coordinate multiple stakeholders, ensuring DERs performance for power system operation against cyber attacks? To address these inquiries, this paper presents a comprehensive review of DER cybersecurity to assess its current status and identify research gaps. The review begins with an overview of DER systems and their cybersecurity risks based on the five-level hierarchical infrastructure established by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Subsequently, the study delves into current cybersecurity considerations from utilities and industries, examining requirements, guidelines/standards, and reference frameworks. The review further explores efforts in DER cyber risk analysis, mapping prominent vulnerabilities and attack schemes against different applications within the EPRI hierarchical architecture. The defense strategies proposed in the literature are also mapped, highlighting use cases for prevention, detection, and mitigation. Finally, analyzing research gaps and emerging technologies sheds light on critical DER cybersecurity issues and future research directions.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Juanwei & Yan, Jun & Kemmeugne, Anthony & Kassouf, Marthe & Debbabi, Mourad, 2025. "Cybersecurity of distributed energy resource systems in the smart grid: A survey," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 383(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:383:y:2025:i:c:s0306261925000947
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125364
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261925000947
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125364?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hou, Jiazuo & Hu, Chenxi & Lei, Shunbo & Hou, Yunhe, 2024. "Cyber resilience of power electronics-enabled power systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    2. Ma, Shuyang & Li, Yan & Du, Liang & Wu, Jianzhong & Zhou, Yue & Zhang, Yichen & Xu, Tao, 2022. "Programmable intrusion detection for distributed energy resources in cyber–physical networked microgrids," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PB).
    3. Ren, Lingyu & Qin, Yanyuan & Li, Yan & Zhang, Peng & Wang, Bing & Luh, Peter B. & Han, Song & Orekan, Taofeek & Gong, Tao, 2018. "Enabling resilient distributed power sharing in networked microgrids through software defined networking," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 1251-1265.
    4. Bhuiyan, Erphan A. & Hossain, Md. Zahid & Muyeen, S.M. & Fahim, Shahriar Rahman & Sarker, Subrata K. & Das, Sajal K., 2021. "Towards next generation virtual power plant: Technology review and frameworks," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    5. Hui, Hongxun & Ding, Yi & Shi, Qingxin & Li, Fangxing & Song, Yonghua & Yan, Jinyue, 2020. "5G network-based Internet of Things for demand response in smart grid: A survey on application potential," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    6. Solat, Amirhossein & Gharehpetian, G.B. & Naderi, Mehdi Salay & Anvari-Moghaddam, Amjad, 2024. "On the control of microgrids against cyber-attacks: A review of methods and applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PA).
    7. Mishra, Sakshi & Anderson, Kate & Miller, Brian & Boyer, Kyle & Warren, Adam, 2020. "Microgrid resilience: A holistic approach for assessing threats, identifying vulnerabilities, and designing corresponding mitigation strategies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    8. Etxezarreta, Xabier & Garitano, Iñaki & Iturbe, Mikel & Zurutuza, Urko, 2023. "Software-Defined Networking approaches for intrusion response in Industrial Control Systems: A survey," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    9. Choeum, Daranith & Choi, Dae-Hyun, 2021. "Trilevel smart meter hardening strategy for mitigating cyber attacks against Volt/VAR optimization in smart power distribution systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    10. Pazouki, Samaneh & Naderi, Ehsan & Asrari, Arash, 2021. "A remedial action framework against cyberattacks targeting energy hubs integrated with distributed energy resources," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mohamed Shameer Peer & Tsega Y. Melesse & Pier Francesco Orrù & Mattia Braggio & Mario Petrollese, 2025. "Next-Generation CSP: The Synergy of Nanofluids and Industry 4.0 for Sustainable Solar Energy Management," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-37, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhao, Zhenghui & Shang, Yingying & Qi, Buyang & Wang, Yang & Sun, Yubo & Zhang, Qian, 2024. "Research on defense strategies for power system frequency stability under false data injection attacks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 371(C).
    2. Qiu, Dawei & Wang, Yi & Sun, Mingyang & Strbac, Goran, 2022. "Multi-service provision for electric vehicles in power-transportation networks towards a low-carbon transition: A hierarchical and hybrid multi-agent reinforcement learning approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    3. Naderi, Mobin & Khayat, Yousef & Shafiee, Qobad & Blaabjerg, Frede & Bevrani, Hassan, 2023. "Dynamic modeling, stability analysis and control of interconnected microgrids: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
    4. Ma, Liya & Hui, Hongxun & Wang, Sheng & Song, Yonghua, 2024. "Coordinated optimization of power-communication coupling networks for dispatching large-scale flexible loads to provide operating reserve," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    5. Wang, Dongxiao & Qiu, Jing & Reedman, Luke & Meng, Ke & Lai, Loi Lei, 2018. "Two-stage energy management for networked microgrids with high renewable penetration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 39-48.
    6. Younes Zahraoui & Tarmo Korõtko & Argo Rosin & Saad Mekhilef & Mehdi Seyedmahmoudian & Alex Stojcevski & Ibrahim Alhamrouni, 2024. "AI Applications to Enhance Resilience in Power Systems and Microgrids—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-35, June.
    7. Fouad Boutros & Moustapha Doumiati & Jean-Christophe Olivier & Imad Mougharbel & Hadi Kanaan, 2024. "Optimal Placement of Multiple Sources in a Mesh-Type DC Microgrid Using Dijkstra’s Algorithm," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Turki Alsuwian & Aiman Shahid Butt & Arslan Ahmed Amin, 2022. "Smart Grid Cyber Security Enhancement: Challenges and Solutions—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    9. Jeddi, Babak & Mishra, Yateendra & Ledwich, Gerard, 2021. "Distributed load scheduling in residential neighborhoods for coordinated operation of multiple home energy management systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    10. Navid Shirzadi & Hadise Rasoulian & Fuzhan Nasiri & Ursula Eicker, 2022. "Resilience Enhancement of an Urban Microgrid during Off-Grid Mode Operation Using Critical Load Indicators," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-15, October.
    11. Yang, Bofan & Zhang, Lin & Zhang, Bo & Xiang, Yang & An, Lei & Wang, Wenfeng, 2022. "Complex equipment system resilience: Composition, measurement and element analysis," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    12. Mehar Ullah & Daniel Gutierrez-Rojas & Eero Inkeri & Tero Tynjälä & Pedro H. J. Nardelli, 2022. "Operation of Power-to-X-Related Processes Based on Advanced Data-Driven Methods: A Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-17, October.
    13. Omar A. Beg & Asad Ali Khan & Waqas Ur Rehman & Ali Hassan, 2023. "A Review of AI-Based Cyber-Attack Detection and Mitigation in Microgrids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-23, November.
    14. Sun, Mingyi & Zhao, Xia & Tan, Hong & Li, Xinyi, 2022. "Coordinated operation of the integrated electricity-water distribution system and water-cooled 5G base stations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PC).
    15. Zhao, Huiru & Li, Bingkang & Lu, Hao & Wang, Xuejie & Li, Hongze & Guo, Sen & Xue, Wanlei & Wang, Yuwei, 2022. "Economy-environment-energy performance evaluation of CCHP microgrid system: A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making method," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    16. Alain Aoun & Mehdi Adda & Adrian Ilinca & Mazen Ghandour & Hussein Ibrahim, 2024. "Centralized vs. Decentralized Electric Grid Resilience Analysis Using Leontief’s Input–Output Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-21, March.
    17. Yang, Chao & Yao, Wei & Fang, Jiakun & Ai, Xiaomeng & Chen, Zhe & Wen, Jinyu & He, Haibo, 2019. "Dynamic event-triggered robust secondary frequency control for islanded AC microgrid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 821-836.
    18. Ewelina Kochanek, 2021. "Evaluation of Energy Transition Scenarios in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-13, September.
    19. Xiao, Jucheng & He, Guangyu & Fan, Shuai & Zhang, Siyuan & Wu, Qing & Li, Zuyi, 2020. "Decentralized transfer of contingency reserve: Framework and methodology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    20. Ibrahim, Muhammad Sohail & Dong, Wei & Yang, Qiang, 2020. "Machine learning driven smart electric power systems: Current trends and new perspectives," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:383:y:2025:i:c:s0306261925000947. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.