Visit to the Indian CSIR-CMERI for a project on Secure Smart Energy grids
The Cybersecurity group of University of Southampton (UoS) visited the Indian Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI) for a joint project on Secure Smart Energy.
The visit started the 24th of September till the 28th of September. During the meeting we discussed the integration of blockchain technology within smart meter devices to increase the security of smart grids.
Specifically, the proposal carried includes exploitation smart contracts to process and to store energy transaction on the blockchain. Being smart contracts immutable programs deployed and executed on top of the blockchain itself, no involved party will be in control neither of the code nor of the data and thus the smart grid will be decentralised.
Our Indian partner is working on the physical prototype of a reusable yet effective smart meter, while UoS is working on the integration of such device with the blockchain.
After an analysis on requirements and a threat modelling, the proposed blockchain technology is Hyperledger Fabric due to the guaranteed scalability, security and privacy features.
The next agreed step of the project will include an architecture for the integration of blockchain and smart meter with a risk assessment.
