Blockchain based Device identification and authentication in a Smart Grid

The power grid is a critical infrastructure of a country that needs protection and security. According to the report of the International Energy Agency, the electricity demand is constantly increasing the world over. Countries are moving towards green energy and efforts are being made to integrate these green energy into the main grid. Smart Grid will improve the reliability and efficiency of the grid by managing the energy demand. Cyber-attacks and cyber terrorism is also increasingly targeting the electrical grid. Intruders may try to gain access to the grid by exploiting the vulnerability of the grid. IEDs/devices are the endpoints of the network and they are the weakest link in the entire network. Endpoints must be protected by providing better identification and authentication. Blockchain uses a cryptographic hash function and digital signature to identify a device in a network that is arranged as a chain of the blocks. This research illustrates the methodology to be adopted for implementing Blockchain in Smart Grid for device identification and authentication. Implementation of blockchain was done on an experimental basis and satisfactory results are obtained. The security of the grid will be greatly enhanced with blockchain-based implementation.