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Staff flags DOE report on solar-panel communications and local cybersecurity project with Georgia Tech
Summary
City staff told the council about Department of Energy concerns that certain solar panels and other IoT devices with foreign components can communicate offsite and could be used to disrupt energy assets; Marietta is participating in a DOE-funded cybersecurity project with Georgia Tech to validate device software updates.
City staff briefed the council on national cybersecurity concerns raised in a Reuters report and Department of Energy (DOE) findings about certain solar panels and other internet-of-things devices that include foreign-manufactured components with networking capability.
Why it matters: The DOE’s concern that some devices could communicate back to foreign entities and be used to disrupt energy assets has prompted local attention because utilities and municipalities are increasingly asked to integrate distributed solar and IoT devices into networks.
What staff said: A staff member summarized the Reuters/DOE reporting, saying the DOE “has proven that those devices can communicate back to China and they could actually take control of that device and not just take that device down, but then pivot to the rest of the electrical network.” The staff member added that manufacturers involved in the reports have not all been publicly identified and that the issue is under active review.
Local work and state context: Staff told the council the city is participating in a DOE-funded, three-year cybersecurity project with Georgia Tech intended to validate and control software updates to devices on critical networks and to detect anomalous or unauthorized updates. The project is in year one and focuses on building core infrastructure and AI-based validation servers to ensure only expected updates are applied and to help detect insider or illicit activities.
Related state policy: Council discussion referenced several bills that considered restrictions on devices manufactured in certain countries; those bills had not passed in the recent session and remain a topic for future legislative consideration. Staff also noted public concern about broader IoT-device supply-chain issues.
Staff and council emphasized that this is an ongoing issue and that utilities, procurement and IT policies are areas to watch as state and federal guidance evolves.
