Battery-Based Authentication for Distributed Energy Resources

A battery-based authentication methodology for distributed energy resources ("DERs”) such as rooftop solar panels and storage systems is described. The methodology leverages the inherent entropy of the DER battery energy storage system (BESS) as a root-of-trust. The DER authentication is achieved using a challenge-reply mechanism that relies on the corresponding DER’s BESS state-of-charge (SoC) and voltage measurements. A dynamically updating process ensures that the BESS state is up-to-date. The parties involved in the authentication are the DER plant communicating with operators or aggregators who manage the DER unit as source of energy and/or other ancillary services. Accordingly, the methodology can be applied to existing communication protocols employed for DER management and control to overcome their existing authentication-related security protocol issues.

Advantages

• The methodology can be applied to existing communication protocols employed for DER management and control.
• Ability to overcome existing authentication-related security protocol issues.