CloudEnerChain

Cloud-based interoperability in energy systems through a secure chain of trust – from field device to control system to cloud

Goal

CloudEnerChain is developing a secure, scalable, and interoperable information infrastructure for grid operation. At its core is an end-to-end chain of trust extending from field devices through cloud and IoT systems to the control system. To achieve this, the project will build a cloud-based data hub with a technology-open metadata model that connects heterogeneous system landscapes through open and standardized interfaces. This creates the foundation for new digital value-added services such as AI-supported anomaly detection, real-time load management, and the secure control of flexible consumers across system boundaries.

Benefit

As the energy transition advances, electrification increases, and the number of decentralized generators, controllable loads, and IoT components continues to grow, grid operation is becoming significantly more dynamic and complex – especially at the low-voltage level. At the same time, existing communication and control-system architectures, which are often proprietary, are reaching their limits. End-to-end interoperability is lacking, the risk of vendor lock-in is increasing, and the growing use of cloud and IoT technologies raises the requirements for IT security, availability, and resilience.

CloudEnerChain addresses these challenges with a holistic approach. The project develops a vendor-independent data model, a secure data hub, hardware-based security mechanisms using Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), a Trusted Core Network (TCN), endpoint attack-detection capabilities, and a monitoring and assistance system for control rooms. This enables grid operators to securely integrate heterogeneous field devices, IoT components, and cloud services, detect grid bottlenecks earlier, improve cyberattack detection, and validate new value-added services under realistic laboratory and field conditions.

Project Partners

Hochschule Bremen
PSI Software SE
SWO Netz GmbH
Digimondo GmbH
Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT

Associated partners:

Schleswig-Holstein Netz GmbH
Rhebo GmbH