BLOSEM

The Blockchain for Optimized Security and Energy Management (BLOSEM) project aims to develop a unified testing platform (UTP) that can work with different types of blockchains. A unified testing platform (UTP) is a comprehensive system or environment that allows for the testing and evaluation of various technologies, systems, or solutions in a unified and standardized manner. It provides a centralized framework where different components can be tested for compatibility, performance, and functionality. 

In the context of the BLOSEM project, the UTP is designed to test and assess different blockchains, their interoperability, and their effectiveness in improving security and energy management in the electric grid. It aims to provide a consistent and reliable testing environment to validate cyber-physical security concepts before their deployment in the utility sector.

Blockchain is a decentralized and transparent digital ledger that records and verifies transactions across multiple computers or nodes. It enables secure and tamper-resistant record-keeping, eliminating the need for intermediaries and providing a foundation for trust and efficiency in various applications, such as cryptocurrencies, supply chain management, and in the case of BLOSEM, power grid components. 

The UTP serves as a bridge between the Blockchain environment and the Grid Emulation environment, facilitating communication and interaction. It includes components such as nodes (systems that perform computational functions), networks (protocols and services spanning across nodes), network services exchange (interfaces for command/control and data exchange), and node/network services (shared functionality and support services). The UTP core's responsibilities involve providing connectivity interfaces, controlling data flow, managing time synchronization, establishing testing infrastructure, and enabling system automation and data orchestration. It aims to support evaluation, testing, and integration of Blockchain and use case functionalities within the project's scope.

By leveraging blockchain technology, the UTP is able to demonstrate data exchanges with grid systems and simulators. This application yields numerous benefits to the field of blockchain-based power and energy research, such as speeding up the process of implementing secure technologies in the utility sector, evaluating the effectiveness of different types of blockchains for specific purposes, measuring performance metrics to identify limitations, and finding solutions to address any shortcomings of Blockchain technology.

BLOSEM’s usefulness is most apparent in its use cases, such as securing the supply chain. The energy sector's supply chain is a complex global network involving various stakeholders and activities to deploy assets for energy delivery. As technology advances and systems become more digital and connected, these assets offer significant benefits. However, the increased capabilities also require additional resources, making the entire system more vulnerable to attacks. While utilities strengthen their defenses, the supply chain remains a potential weak point where vulnerabilities can be introduced, making it crucial to ensure trust in the authenticity and integrity of assets and their components when introducing new equipment or updates into energy operations.

To address this issue, BLOSEM enables the safe and secure transmission of information between external organizations, allowing them to share details about assets that are usually kept within their own boundaries. By improving the tracking process of grid assets from manufacturing to installation to decommissioning, BLOSEM helps solve the problem of involved parties not having complete information about a device’s entire lifespan.

The practicality of BLOSEM extends beyond the supply chain, as it can be applied to support secure exchanges of information between DERs (for more on DERs, see Powernet)and ensure dynamic controls of demand response from generation, among other use cases. In summary, BLOSEM serves as the first ever blockchain-based cybersecurity testing environment that features end-to-end integration and as a foundational reference architecture for  grid cybersecurity illustrating how blockchain can be used in a meaningful way.

Project lead: Dr. Sydni Credle

SLAC PI: Mayank Malik