Smart electricity grids: A very slow deployment in the EU. Egmont Paper No. 74, February 2015

Summary. The European electricity sector will have to deal with a huge challenge in the decades to come. On the one hand, electrical power is increasingly substituted for other forms of energy. It has been forecast that electricity demand will increase in the future (notably because of new needs in transport and heat sectors), although it is currently stagnant, mainly because of the economic crisis. Unless a major alternative energy source is discovered, electricity will become the central energy pillar in the long term. On the other hand, electricity production remains uncertain and will depend on numerous factors: the growth of renewable energy and decentralized energy, the renewal of old power generation capacities, increased external dependency, CO2 charges, etc. This increases the demand for electricity networks that are more reliable, more efficient, and more flexible. Europe’s current electricity networks are ageing, and, as already indicated by the International Energy Agency, many of them will need to be modernized or replaced in the decades to come. Finally, the growing impact of energy trading also needs to be taken into account. These considerations explain the need to modernize the electric grid through various ICT means. This modernization alone may allow the grid to become more flexible and interactive, to provide real time feedback, more adaptation to a fluctuating demand, and finally to reduce the global electricity costs. The paper begins with a description of the EU definition of the term ‘smart grid’ (§ 1) and of the body in charge of advising the Commission (§ 2). The EU legal framework applicable to smart grids is also detailed (§ 3). It is a rather complex domain, connected to various regulations. The paper then examines three critical factors in the development of smart grids (and smart meters as a precondition). Standardization is quite complex, but absolutely essential (§ 4). Innovation is not easily put into action (§ 5). Finally, as digital insecurity has worsened dramatically in recent years, the security of electricity networks, and especially their multiplied electronic components, will become increasingly important (§ 6). Lastly, the paper provides a concise overview of the progress of smart grids in the EU in recent years (§ 7). In a nutshell, the conclusion is that progress is quite slow, many obstacles remain, and, given the appearance of many new regulatory problems, it would be useful to organize a review of the present EU strategy

Smart Factories, Dumb Policy? Managing Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Risks in the Industrial Internet of Things

Interest is booming in the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is one application of this trend and involves the use of smart technologies in a manufac- turing context. Even though these applications hold the promise to revolutionize manufacturing, there are a number of outstand- ing cybersecurity and data privacy issues impacting the realiza- tion of the myriad benefits promised by IIoT proponents. This ar- ticle analyzes some of these pressing issues, focusing on: (1) critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity due diligence, (2) trends in transatlantic data privacy protections, and (3) the regulation of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. The aticle concludes with a list of recommendations for state and federal policymakers to consider in an effort to harden the IIoT along with the supply chains critical to the con- tinued development of smart factories

IoT and Smart Home Data Breach Risks from the Perspective of Data Protection and Information Security Law

Background: IoT and smart devices have become extremely popular in the last few years. With their capabilities to collect data, it is reasonable to have concerns about the protection of users’ personal information and privacy in general. Objectives: Comparing existing regulations on data protection and information security rules with the new capabilities provided by IoT and smart devices. Methods/approach: This paper will analyse information on data collected by IoT and smart devices and the corresponding legal framework to explore whether the legal framework also covers these new devices and their functionalities. Results: Various IoT and smart devices pose a high risk to an individual\u27s privacy. The General Data Protection Regulation, although a relatively recent law, may not adequately regulate all instances and uses of this technology. Also, due to inadequate technological protection, abuse of such devices by unauthorized persons is possible and even likely. Conclusions: The number of IoT and smart devices is rapidly increasing. The number of IoT and smart home device security incidents is on the rise. The regulatory framework to ensure data controller and processor compliance needs to be improved in order to create a safer environment for new innovative IoT services and products without jeopardizing the rights and freedoms of data subjects. Also, it is important to increase awareness of homeowners about potential security threats when using IoT and smart devices and services

Cybersecurity and Digital Privacy Aspects of V2X in the EV Charging Structure

With the advancement of green energy technology and rising public and political acceptance, electric vehicles (EVs) have grown in popularity. Electric motors, batteries, and charging systems are considered major components of EVs. The electric power infrastructure has been designed to accommodate the needs of EVs, with an emphasis on bidirectional power flow to facilitate power exchange. Furthermore, the communication infrastructure has been enhanced to enable cars to communicate and exchange information with one another, also known as Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology. V2X is positioned to become a bigger and smarter system in the future of transportation, thanks to upcoming digital technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Distributed Ledger Technology, and the Internet of Things. However, like with any technology that includes data collection and sharing, there are issues with digital privacy and cybersecurity. This paper addresses these concerns by creating a multi-layer Cyber-Physical-Social Systems (CPSS) architecture to investigate possible privacy and cybersecurity risks associated with V2X. Using the CPSS paradigm, this research explores the interaction of EV infrastructure as a very critical part of the V2X ecosystem, digital privacy, and cybersecurity concerns

Memorandum on the results of the sixth Workshop on the Implementation and Application of the Directive 2008/114/EC

The workshops on the Implementation and Application of the Directive 2008/114/EC have been an important activity for enhancing the communication of the Member States with the Commission Services with respect to the application of the Directive and also for exchange of relevant information. Six workshops have been organized since the adoption of the Directive in December 2008. This activity will continue to support the implementation and application of the Directive while it will also serve the review of the Directive that is due to kick off in January 2012JRC.G.6-Security technology assessmen

The future of Cybersecurity in Italy: Strategic focus area

This volume has been created as a continuation of the previous one, with the aim of outlining a set of focus areas and actions that the Italian Nation research community considers essential. The book touches many aspects of cyber security, ranging from the definition of the infrastructure and controls needed to organize cyberdefence to the actions and technologies to be developed to be better protected, from the identification of the main technologies to be defended to the proposal of a set of horizontal actions for training, awareness raising, and risk management