Andy Bochman has a quick post to get the word out about an important FERC meeting on Jan. 31 to explore smart grid interoperability and security standards development past, present and future.
As the future becomes the present, Andy Bochman maintains it's more urgent than ever for power companies to attract engineers capable of designing, managing and maintaining the new systems the smart grid demands. Where will they come from? He's got thoughts on that inside.
Grid modernization might be a lot simpler in a country ruled by a clear-thinking and decisive dictator. Security expert Andy Bochman suggests centralized direction could crush cultural and bureaucratic inertia. But taking it full circle, he finds you've got to be careful what you wish for.
The smart meter gloom-and-doom fest is cranking up. Now we're seeing sign-waving protesters on street corners, websites selling anti-smart meter bumper stickers – and the media eating it up. But security expert Andy Bochman wonders if these modern-day Luddites aren't giving technology too much credit.
Tension is building in the smart grid security standards world and Andy Bochman is here with a blow-by-blow report along with a brief heads-up on what to expect in the NERC CIP arena come 2011.
No organization is bullet-proof, but security expert Andy Bochman suggests in the wake of WikiLeaks, every electric utility should be questioning every foundational assumption about security and privacy controls. He explains why inside.
Security expert Andy Bochman is here with a positive spin on the financial state of the utility industry and some thoughts on how energized investors could add momentum to the smart grid build-out.
Brave utilities that are pioneering smart grid technologies get a hats off today from smart grid security expert Andy Bochman, who lauds their guts and willingness to take a few calculated risks.
We can do everything in our power to bulk up smart grid security in this country, but expert Andy Bochman says if one of our key allies or trading partners have their grids knocked out by successful and sustained cyber attacks, we'll be hurting too. The solution? He's got a few ideas.
Security expert Andy Bochman says there'll be trouble (that's trouble with an "s" as in security) when cars and the grid eventually get together. But he's optimistic that we can figure out those security issues and that cars will be as safe (or safer?) than they are today.
Andy Bochman just spent a week in Texas where he picked up interesting updates on what major players (as in EPRI, GM, IBM, Oncor and others) are doing to prep for EVs and V2G. Plus he got some drive time in a Chevy Volt. Don’t miss his report.
In a recent conference call hosted by Macquarie Capital, the head of BGE smart grid initiatives talked about benefits of a smart grid rollout, regulatory challenges and the decision to partner with Silver Spring Networks. We’ve got analyst highlights from the call.
Some argue NIST’s just-released smart grid cyber security guidelines are late to the party. Others complain the 537-page report fails to prioritize, burying the most critical information deep in the third volume. Security blogger Andy Bochman offers perspective.
A fascinating new report from Accenture and the World Economic Forum highlights what it takes for successful smart grid pilots, both technology-focused and consumer-centric. After reading the report, Managing Editor Liz Enbysk thinks razzle-dazzle could be the key to consumer buy-in. Find out why.
Score one for smart meter technology. The Structure Group’s independent evaluation of PG&E’s smart meters indicate they are accurate. But the utility gets demerits for its customer service.
Today Smart Grid powerhouses Cisco and Itron announced a strategic alliance to deliver a definitive IP-based communications platform. What does it mean for the rest of us? Jesse Berst offers some insight.
Security expert Andy Bochman argues that car companies and utilities – two elderly sectors of the U.S. economy – have more in common today than you might imagine. Andy points out that both are grappling with the impact of smart technologies that are rewriting workflows and business models and yes – security practices too.
Just a quick post today from Andy Bochman, who is in San Jose attending the first-ever Smart Grid Cyber Security Summit. His first impressions are positive; find out why inside.
If you have anything to do with security at a major U.S. utility right now, Andy Bochman feels your pain. FERC/NERC CIP nipping at your heels, Smart Grid initiatives coming at you, and still the need to help keep customers’ lights on 24/7. How to cope? Andy’s got some thoughts inside.
The Stuxnet worm targeting control systems and utility companies is heavy-duty malware. Security blogger Andy Bochman says that means USG and FERC must get way more serious about energy control system security and issue mandatory policy. Why? Without a crippling blow from Stuxnet, Andy predicts most utilities will simply move along with no procedural changes. Find out why he calls that unacceptable.
With the FUD meter running high regarding grid security, SGN blogger Andy Bochman is taking a little solace in a Wired report that suggests Chicken Little has it wrong. Not that there isn’t plenty to worry about in terms of securing the grid against attack, but as Andy puts it, a balanced perspective is a good thing. Click inside for details.
Security blogger Andy Bochman highlights a discussion he came across on LinkedIn that puts the onus on the industry – not utilities – to do a better job of articulating ROI for Smart Grid projects. Click inside and see if you agree.
Besides steel, the typical car of 2010 has over 200 million lines of software code. That’s far more software, according to Smart Grid security ace Andy Bochman, than it takes to run a space shuttle. Andy has some concerns about the security implications when EVs loaded with code start plugging into the grid – and you probably should too.
Unlike many industries that adopt new technologies and new business models incrementally, the utility industry doesn’t have that luxury. That’s why security pro Jack Danahy wants more clarity around the security characteristics required for the new and highly varied data sources emerging with the Smart Grid. Find out why he’s pushing the “Hexad” – and what it means to you.
We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.
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