Crisis prevention

The requirement

Securing critical infrastructure with emergency power supply solutions will become more important than ever in the future due to geopolitical voltages and new legal requirements such as NIS2 and CER Directive. According to these current regulations, a back-up power supply of at least 72 hours should be guaranteed for crisis management. Choosing the right technology in the event of a blackout is absolutely crucial. Factors such as maintenance intensity and fuel availability and the associated costs must be given particular consideration in view of the useful life of such systems, which is often 20-30 years. The current transition away from fossil fuels now offers the opportunity to switch to fail-safe, maintenance-free and climate-friendly power generation.

The application

In the event of a blackout, a reliable power supply is essential for civil protection, especially for radio and telecommunications masts, data centres, substations and water supply infrastructures. EFOY Hydrogen Fuel Cell Solutions and EFOY Pro Direct Methanol Fuel Cells are also used to supply power in the event of major emergencies. For example, for emergency equipment and as an on-board power supply for the vehicles of emergency and blue light organisations or to supply stationary telecommunications infrastructure.

The challenge

In the event of a disaster, critical infrastructure must be supplied with uninterrupted emergency power. A diesel generator needs a minute or more to supply critical infrastructure with emergency power in the event of a disaster – an eternity when every second counts. In the event of major disasters such as floods, hurricanes or earthquakes, power outages often occur or the emergency services have to operate in regions far from the power grid. A fast, efficient and sustainable energy supply is therefore essential. For disaster control, hydrogen and fuel cell technology offer new possibilities and numerous advantages for a reliable power supply without downtime.

Critical Infrastructure Protection

Scenarios involving large-scale infrastructure disruptions are a recurring topic in discussions about societal and technological resilience. Not only can this cause a severe breakdown in the modern services that we have come to rely on, but repairs may require a significant amount of time; further impacting our everyday lives. This is why the concept of critical infrastructure protection should be thoroughly understood to appreciate the risks and the means to mitigate such situations.

Critical Infrastructure Protection: The Basics

Appreciating the role of modern infrastructure protection dictates that we first highlight some basic types of critical infrastructure. Consider these examples ^[1]:

• The energy sector
• The financial marketplace
• Food and agriculture
• Public and private healthcare
• Transportation
• Government facilities
• Emergency services

If even one of these networks fails, a cascading effect may occur; leading to even further disruptions. This is why critical infrastructure protection (such as the presence of an uninterruptible power supply) is often required.

A Quick Overview of Critical Infrastructure Protection

Critical infrastructure protection is generally built on three core principles^[2]:

• Identifying vulnerabilities and potential risks.
• IImplementing protective and preventive measures.
• IDeveloping comprehensive strategies to maintain functionality during and after disruptive events.

For example, consider a scenario in which a regional electricity distribution grid experiences a cyberattack by a state-sponsored actor. Once the threat is detected, immediate steps must be taken to maintain core operations—such as switching to redundant systems or activating backup power supplies for essential components. However, protection goes beyond short-term reaction: it involves strengthening system resilience, building in redundancy, and applying long-term improvements to prevent similar incidents in the future.

What Happens When Critical Infrastructure Protection Fails?

It should be noted that critical infrastructure protection or CIP is preventative in nature. In other words, the associated strategies are meant to mitigate the chances of a failure actually occurring. However, what if an existing critical infrastructure protection protocol is outdated? What might happen? A real-world example can help to highlight the dangers.

The Rye Brook Dam in New York State suffered an alleged cyberattack in 2013. Experts believe that this was one of a series of attacks engineered by the government of Iran, as the financial services sector across the United States was also affected.^[3] Hackers gained temporary control of several on-site command and control systems; effectively preventing actions such as opening sluice gates.

While the damage was limited, imagine what would occur if the entire hydroelectric system of a nation was compromised in a similar manner. Many of the critical infrastructure services that consumers take for granted would quickly come to a halt.

This is why critical infrastructure protection has become an increasing concern in recent times; especially when dealing with remote dangers such as computer viruses.

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Are Some Systems at a Higher Risk Than Others?

Another facet of critical infrastructure protection involves determining which systems are particularly vulnerable. Research has already shown that the energy and utilities sectors are up to three times more likely to be the target of some type of attack.^[4] This is due to their widespread nature, and arises from the fact that many facilities fail to employ the latest critical infrastructure protection methods (such as the products offered at SFC Energy).

It is therefore no great surprise that consumers have become interested in off grid energy as a means to circumvent the effects of an electricity crisis should such an attack take place. However, the responsibility for implementing targeted critical infrastructure protection strategies is ultimately in the hands of the facilities themselves.

Note that the financial services sector is also thought to be highly vulnerable; due in large part to its truly global reach. Whether referring to a massive hack of personal data, or a coordinated attack on a stock index, critical infrastructure protection is essential.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure: A Look at Security Practices

To be clear, even the most robust critical infrastructure protection plans will not eliminate potential threats. Their main purpose is to provide the means by which risks can be managed. There are several methodologies that should be used in synergy with one another. A sizeable portion of these involve large-scale approaches such as regular national risk assessments. Others are associated with critical infrastructure security methods that organisations can adopt. Here are some recommendations^[5]:

• Inform all stakeholders of the potential risks.
• Modify the existing critical infrastructure protection protocol as new threats emerge.
• Analyse current critical infrastructure protection responses to determine their effectiveness.
• Practice “dry runs” so that everyone appreciates their unique role.

Furthermore, remember that critical infrastructure protection is largely dependent on implementing the latest hardware solutions (such as methanol and hydrogen fuel cells that can be used as emergency power supplies).

Critical infrastructure protection should never be taken lightly. To learn more about how the team at SFC Energy can ensure that you are prepared for any eventuality, please contact one of our representatives.