Why this matters now

As critical infrastructure providers, energy companies face increasing pressure to meet evolving cybersecurity regulations while maintaining operational performance. Among the most important of these requirements are the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards.

For solar operators in particular, the path to compliance presents unique challenges. Many facilities are remote, unmanned, and managed from centralized control centers, creating complexity in both visibility and security.

As renewables expert Nicholas Janouskovec explains in a recent article in North American Clean Energy magazine, organizations must begin planning now to meet the 2030 deadline:

“Bringing solar facilities in line with NERC CIP standards will take time, and the process can often be complex, costly, and time-consuming. To help navigate this challenge, many organizations are collaborating closely with an expert industry partner as a critical enabler of success.”

Takeaway: Meeting NERC CIP requirements requires early planning and expert guidance to manage complexity and cost.

TL;DR

• Solar operators must meet NERC CIP requirements by 2030.
• Remote and unmanned sites increase cybersecurity complexity.
• IT/OT convergence creates additional implementation challenges.
• Expert partners help reduce deployment risk and cost.
• Cybersecurity must be maintained continuously over time.

The unique cybersecurity challenge in solar

Solar facilities rely on interconnected systems—including inverters, trackers, and balance-of-plant equipment—that must work together securely. These complex integrations often limit visibility and complicate the application of standard cybersecurity solutions.

“Unraveling that web is complicated, requiring a breadth of knowledge and experience spanning both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT). For teams short on expert personnel with decades of industry expertise, navigating that OT/IT convergence can take many hours of trial and error.”

Takeaway: Solar cybersecurity requires deep IT/OT expertise to address complex, interconnected systems.

Partnering for success

Because of this complexity, many organizations are turning to expert automation solution providers like Emerson to design and implement cybersecurity architectures tailored to their operations.

“An expert partner will help organizations embrace a cybersecure-by-design approach, engineering and implementing solutions correctly the first time, while ensuring suppliers meet cyber requirements. They can also help deliver more cost-effective and long-term solutions, particularly in the case of retrofits, where complexity increases dramatically.”

In addition to initial deployment, expert partners provide ongoing support to ensure cybersecurity systems evolve alongside emerging threats without disrupting operations.

Takeaway: Partner-led implementation improves cybersecurity outcomes while reducing deployment risk and lifecycle complexity.

The right expertise

Energy companies face cybersecurity challenges that differ from those in most industries. While IT-focused cybersecurity approaches may overlook operational realities, purely OT-focused strategies can leave critical gaps.

Successfully navigating this landscape requires a balanced approach that addresses both IT and OT requirements. With deep expertise in both domains, organizations can build secure systems capable of meeting evolving regulatory demands while maintaining performance.

Takeaway: Effective energy cybersecurity requires a balanced IT/OT approach grounded in industry-specific expertise.