Few would argue with the belief that we need to revitalize our nation's power infrastructure, but numerous challenges complicate the deployment of smart grids.
The reshaping of our national power grid will provide profound benefits to consumers, but it will also bring enormous liabilities that could equal—or even outweigh—the very problems we hope to solve.
Without question, something has to change in the electrical grid. While decreased economic activity has leveled off the rise in demand in the short term, long-term forecasts still show significant growth. According to the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), an organization of U.S. electrical grid operators, transmission capacity continues to lag behind demand and will need to increase by more than 10 percent over the next 10 years.
A power network utilizing the latest in computing technologies will eliminate blackouts and brownouts due to undercapacity and will enable better overall reliability through advanced monitoring and management. Customers will become savvier in how they use electricity by gaining real-time insight into their energy costs.
The smart grid will also help prevent terrorist attacks by building in redundancies and self-healing capabilities. And like the Internet, it will become the platform upon which new types of products and services can be built, such as using hybrid and electric cars to store energy and then sell it back to the network.
With such profound benefits, how could anyone oppose a smart grid? Well, for one thing, estimates say that rebuilding the grid will cost far more than the $4.5 billion in federal funds allocated and instead will top off somewhere between $13 billion and $50 billion.
What’s more, real-time pricing could adversely impact more vulnerable segments of society who may not be able to easily change their power consumption habits to accommodate continually changing prices of energy. There’s also the increasing risk of privacy and security breaches, given the creation of an intelligent, distributed computing network. In addition, the standards being developed for managing and running the power grid may perpetuate the same insular thinking that has traditionally categorized the utility industry.
Is that a reason to do nothing? Hardly. But organizations should limit their expectations and plan to open their checkbooks. The electrical grid needs to evolve, as do policies and processes, but we’re not done paying for it—not by a long shot.
The Scale of the Problem
According to a report by the Department of Energy, over the past 40 years there have been five massive blackouts—three of them in the past nine years. The lack of real-time analytics and, to a lesser extent, the slow response times of mechanical switches have been significant factors in these occurrences. The power grids have been so antiquated that, in most cases, utilities only know about an outage when customers report the problem.
The risks posed by a failing grid are enormous—much more than just the inconvenience of consumers losing a few cartons of milk and some frozen food. Billions of dollars could be lost. The Northeast blackout of 2003, for example, resulted in a $56 billion loss.
If a blackout lasted long enough, the lack of electricity would have dire consequences for the survivability of the country. Without electricity for a year, nine out of 10 people would die from disease, exposure or starvation, according to Dr. William Grahamth, Ronald Reagan’s former science adviser.
Though the grid can fail as a result of over-consumption, its centralized structure also leaves it vulnerable to terrorist attacks. And an attack on one region could have national consequences because the interconnectedness between regions could lead to a cascading effect that could disrupt the country’s ability to function.
However, the electrical grid doesn’t need to halt to have a severe impact on the economy and the environment. Today’s distribution network was never designed for transporting large quantities of power over long distances. As such, renewable energy that’s prominent in one part of the country—such as wind power in the Midwest—remains unavailable to other segments of the nation, such as the Northeast.
Smarter Grid no solution to the problemPosted on: 01-04-10 | By: ZotGreen technology (solar & wind) are figments of the imagination of people who don't know anything about technology. Power from windmills actually screws up the grid (as they are finding out in Europe) and the sun is an unreliable grid source since it doesn't produce grid compatible (i.e. Base Load power) and requires storage and conversion. Further, if you treat all the alternate energy sources like a battery the energy output will never equal the cost of producing the hardware. Take away the subsidies and they would disappear. Same with bio-fuels - dumb idea to convert food to fuel when people are starving and we are sitting on 1,000 years of coal, gas and oil.
The Smart Grid isn't a bad idea but the reasons outlined in the article for the smart grid are flawed. Wheeling power long distances is very inefficient. You can't beat the laws of electricity and the losses are a fact of life. Relying on the grid to move lots of power long distances make it a failure point. That is a bad system design as it will eventually fail knocking out much more than it needs to.
There is a better answer but the techno-illiterate politicians are keeping it from happening. The answer is nuclear plants closer to the users so the grid isn't doing all the work. Nuclear energy is clean (green), safe (despite what the media says) and the next generation of small pebble bed reactors can't run away, don't represent a bomb making source of plutonium and can be ganged to run larger towns. Nuclear fuel is recyclable so there is almost no waste. Thorium is he next nuclear fuel to watch. Unfortunately, the current administration doesn't appear to want the US to be energy independent with abundant, cheap energy to run our factories, data centers, homes & cars.
Smart Grid,Risk Leverage, and GrowthPosted on: 12-31-09 | By: AnonymousIf the motivation of Smart Grid were overtly stated to be,
"To create the opportunity for private enterprise to invade your privacy, profit from your power needs, and by extension exert more government control over your daily life," would you be in a hurry to agree?
Probably not.
If the goal was stated "To modernize the generation and distribution of power, including alternative energy, to provide greater energy security against interruption and crashes, and to the further effect that Consumers have more choices about how and when to pay for their power needs, and manage their energy usage, and power generation companies, and distributors, have more ability to choose sources and methods of managing energy on behalf of consumers."
More believable and desirable?
How about if both are saying the same thing?
The logic of using technology to evolve the distribution,control and security of energy is inescapable.
The potential for harm to consumers and businesses without realistic security of the system is also apparent. The more you systemically allow for centralization of procedures and controls, the greater the leverage of risk factors; unwanted interference by "hacking" the system by those who want to disrupt, like terrorists; those who want to profit through blackmail threats of interruption, and those whose management of the system could be construed as a threat through profiteering.
Any further discussion of Smart Grid has to include how energy producers and distributors will insure complete security of their operations and consumer and business privacy.
It will do no good to improve efficiency of operations if the risk increases disproportionately to the reward.
The intent is control and profitPosted on: 12-22-09 | By: AnonymousThe "smart grid" is in the end a way to charge more for electricity based on time of use and what is available on the grid. "Customers will become savvier in how they use electricity by gaining real-time insight into their energy costs." In other words, use less or you will pay more. Those who cannot shift demand into lower cost times (base loads such as refrigerators and medical equipment) will pay more. Right now we cross-subsidize within the pool of electricity users; residentials pay more than industry, densely populated areas help pay for facilities in rural areas. It works. The "smart grid" will make sure that utilities increase their profit.
PutzPosted on: 12-13-09 | By: TJ"Privacy concerns are for nonthinkers," You're a mole.
To: Dave GreenfieldPosted on: 11-13-09 | By: Bob P CEOA well written article but typically the same old references coupled with perhaps a ten year plan + but no security solution immediately or whenever. I too am a security expert but we at least are delivering solutions today as well as yesterday. As an experienced professional like yourself knows that the Goliaths know M&A's but no security solutions.If your interested in a story of success, as America deserves better, please contact me directly: continuump@gmail.com. Here is an advanced copy of our PR- Contact: Ted Faraone 212-489-1313 (ted.faraone@verizon.net)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WORLD’S ONLY SECURE CYBER PROTECTION AGAINST HACKERS LAUNCHED COMMERCIALLY – CONTINUUM PARTNERS DEBUTS SNI
NEW YORK – In a development with major implications for the security of nations and businesses dependent on computer networks to function, the world’s only trusted commercial system for protecting networks from cyber assaults is being made available to new clients.
Secured Network Infrastructure (SNI), the only network protection that uses a hardware gate in addition to our Open OS to intercept hackers and keep a protected network up and running during a cyber attack, SNI will become available in quantity for the first time according to Continuum Partners LLC. As a “Standards” based enhanced network security protection system, SNI has been proven effective both scientifically and in the field.
SNI is a patented plug and play system compatible with all networks currently in use. It complies to the standards for “Trusted” systems as defined by the “Common Criteria Recognition Agreement” an international protocol. The National Security Agency (NSA) recognizes and supports Common Criteria.
SNI was developed following the 9 -11 attacks. “I worked as a volunteer at Ground Zero,” says Continuum Partners CEO Robert S. (Bob) Pollock. “I saw the destruction, and I realized that America is far more vulnerable to cyber attack than it is to another kamikaze attack from the air.” Pollock, a long time New York businessman and IT technology consultant, re-structured Continuum Partners to that of a developer/manufacturer and bring to market this remarkable invention of his Partner, Pierre Bergeron.
“Until Pierre created SNI, every network, no matter how critical, was vulnerable to cyber attack,” says Pollock. “All previous security systems used only software. Software alone as every security expert in the trade knows can be breached. Our solution is to augment the software firewall with a physical barrier called the SNI Matrix Unit. It’s a hardware device placed between the Internet and the network one needs to protect. The Matrix Unit, using proprietary autonomic software that is compatible with all computer systems, detects an intrusion attempt at the point of entry to the protected network. Then, in less than a millionth of a second, it dumps the hacker into a mirror of protected network, giving time for the hacker to be traced while preventing the protected network from going down. We estimate that this will cut network down time by up to 95% as well as protect sensitive data from theft or compromise.”
The need for protection offered by SNI cannot be overstated. Since 2007, China breached with the help of university computers a large US national security defense contractor over a long period of time. Hackers shut down Los Angeles International Airport, stole credit and debit card data of 130 million customers of Heartland Payment Systems, and Hannaford Brothers Co., a supermarket chain, and 7-11, etc.
Express Scripts has to date 700,000 records held for ransom. In October 2009 an ex-Ford Motor Company engineer was indicted for stealing more than 4,000 documents containing automotive trade secrets from a protected Ford computer. The US General Accounting Office reported recently that NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was successfully hacked 1,120 times over the past two years. The government systems of Estonia were brought down by a massive hacker attack. In 2008, Panama’s Electrical Grid was held for ransom and brought down by a breach for four days. And in April 2009 a report surfaced in The Wall Street Journal that the electrical grid of the United States had been infiltrated by cyber-spies who left behind software that could shut it down. Such “cyber-warfare” could give an enemy an advantage in a future conflict that no fifth-column has ever been able to achieve.
“The security of the civilized world is at stake,” Pollock said. “If you can shut down the US electrical grid, you can put the country out of business. Our mission is to keep the critical networks of the US and its allies up and running.”
SNI has been sold to select customers, who have used it with great success. They include the US Navy and Air Force, Canada’s Department of Public Safety (DHS), Passaic County (NJ) Data Centers, L-3, the New York Board of Trade and Allied Irish Bank. The customer base reports “tech support” cost savings from 60 to 80 percent as well as increased network “up” time.
For its commercial roll-out, Continuum will launch a licensing program for major manufacturers in North America who are in good standing with the governments of the US and Canada. “We are offering the only commercially priced system to prevent network breaches. We can deliver it now,” Pollock says.
In the near term, Continuum will also be releasing it’s new “Real Time Administrator” which sits over all the popular network management systems (IBM’s Webshere, HP Oven View, etc) Additionally, there universal interface for Systems Controls (i.e., Johnson Controls, Trane, etc.) and any other physical security nets, etc.
The company is turning its attention to burgeoning military and civilian wireless networks, including emergency services which use new software-based narrow band radios. The company has developed and patented a line of “High-Assurance End Point” wired and wireless products to protect these new networks from attack. These same devices will be also used for End Point devices in the IT & SCADA networks.
We can't possibly scale up our manufacturing capability fast enough to harden up North America's alone. Therefore, we will soon be announcing a Licensing Program for all North American OEM's initially, provided that is in good standing with the Canadian and US Governments. Early next year we will expand this program to the countries that implement the Common Criteria Standards. Contact: Ted Faraone 212-489-1313 (ted.faraone@verizon.net)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WORLD’S ONLY SECURE CYBER PROTECTION AGAINST HACKERS LAUNCHED COMMERCIALLY – CONTINUUM PARTNERS DEBUTS SNI
NEW YORK – In a development with major implications for the security of nations and businesses dependent on computer networks to function, the world’s only trusted commercial system for protecting networks from cyber assaults is being made available to new clients.
Secured Network Infrastructure (SNI), the only network protection that uses a hardware gate in addition to our Open OS to intercept hackers and keep a protected network up and running during a cyber attack, SNI will become available in quantity for the first time according to Continuum Partners LLC. As a “Standards” based enhanced network security protection system, SNI has been proven effective both scientifically and in the field.
SNI is a patented plug and play system compatible with all networks currently in use. It complies to the standards for “Trusted” systems as defined by the “Common Criteria Recognition Agreement” an international protocol. The National Security Agency (NSA) recognizes and supports Common Criteria.
SNI was developed following the 9 -11 attacks. “I worked as a volunteer at Ground Zero,” says Continuum Partners CEO Robert S. (Bob) Pollock. “I saw the destruction, and I realized that America is far more vulnerable to cyber attack than it is to another kamikaze attack from the air.” Pollock, a long time New York businessman and IT technology consultant, re-structured Continuum Partners to that of a developer/manufacturer and bring to market this remarkable invention of his Partner, Pierre Bergeron.
“Until Pierre created SNI, every network, no matter how critical, was vulnerable to cyber attack,” says Pollock. “All previous security systems used only software. Software alone as every security expert in the trade knows can be breached. Our solution is to augment the software firewall with a physical barrier called the SNI Matrix Unit. It’s a hardware device placed between the Internet and the network one needs to protect. The Matrix Unit, using proprietary autonomic software that is compatible with all computer systems, detects an intrusion attempt at the point of entry to the protected network. Then, in less than a millionth of a second, it dumps the hacker into a mirror of protected network, giving time for the hacker to be traced while preventing the protected network from going down. We estimate that this will cut network down time by up to 95% as well as protect sensitive data from theft or compromise.”
The need for protection offered by SNI cannot be overstated. Since 2007, China breached with the help of university computers a large US national security defense contractor over a long period of time. Hackers shut down Los Angeles International Airport, stole credit and debit card data of 130 million customers of Heartland Payment Systems, and Hannaford Brothers Co., a supermarket chain, and 7-11, etc.
Express Scripts has to date 700,000 records held for ransom. In October 2009 an ex-Ford Motor Company engineer was indicted for stealing more than 4,000 documents containing automotive trade secrets from a protected Ford computer. The US General Accounting Office reported recently that NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) was successfully hacked 1,120 times over the past two years. The government systems of Estonia were brought down by a massive hacker attack. In 2008, Panama’s Electrical Grid was held for ransom and brought down by a breach for four days. And in April 2009 a report surfaced in The Wall Street Journal that the electrical grid of the United States had been infiltrated by cyber-spies who left behind software that could shut it down. Such “cyber-warfare” could give an enemy an advantage in a future conflict that no fifth-column has ever been able to achieve.
“The security of the civilized world is at stake,” Pollock said. “If you can shut down the US electrical grid, you can put the country out of business. Our mission is to keep the critical networks of the US and its allies up and running.”
SNI has been sold to select customers, who have used it with great success. They include the US Navy and Air Force, Canada’s Department of Public Safety (DHS), Passaic County (NJ) Data Centers, L-3, the New York Board of Trade and Allied Irish Bank. The customer base reports “tech support” cost savings from 60 to 80 percent as well as increased network “up” time.
For its commercial roll-out, Continuum will launch a licensing program for major manufacturers in North America who are in good standing with the governments of the US and Canada. “We are offering the only commercially priced system to prevent network breaches. We can deliver it now,” Pollock says.
In the near term, Continuum will also be releasing it’s new “Real Time Administrator” which sits over all the popular network management systems (IBM’s Webshere, HP Oven View, etc) Additionally, there universal interface for Systems Controls (i.e., Johnson Controls, Trane, etc.) and any other physical security nets, etc.
The company is turning its attention to burgeoning military and civilian wireless networks, including emergency services which use new software-based narrow band radios. The company has developed and patented a line of “High-Assurance End Point” wired and wireless products to protect these new networks from attack. These same devices will be also used for End Point devices in the IT & SCADA networks.
We can't possibly scale up our manufacturing capability fast enough to harden up North America's alone. Therefore, we will soon be announcing a Licensing Program for all North American OEM's initially, provided that is in good standing with the Canadian and US Governments. Early next year we will expand this program to the countries that implement the Common Criteria Standards.
EfficienciesPosted on: 11-05-09 | By: Steve KirchnerThe benefit to reshaping our power grid would be focused on the points you described; however, with less than 50% of the power getting to the end user there is definitely a tremendous upside to efficiencies. Provided the result of reshaping our power grid includes efficiencies the program ROI would be relatively short.
