I recently became involved in a cyber-physical risk analysis project assessing the potential risks associated with the future use of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). While there have been no confirmed cyber attacks on BESS to date, findings indicate that the consequences of such an attack could be severe, affecting operations, safety, and financial stability. This article focuses on identifying risks—not mitigations—related to deploying BESS in an industrial facility that integrates renewable energy to reduce costs, highlighting potential threats and their impact on plant processes. Since effective security starts with awareness, we need to identify risks before planning defenses. Or in other words:
“Know your risks before choosing your defenses—guessing isn’t security.”
BESS are playing an increasingly important role in the global energy landscape. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, approximately 4 gigawatts (GW) of BESS projects were installed worldwide in 2019. Since then, deployment has accelerated significantly, with 42 GW added in 2023 alone. Looking ahead, global projections indicate that by 2030, annual additions will reach 110…
