DigiCert has been selected by the National Energy Public Key Infrastructure to provide digital certificate infrastructure to secure communications between rooftop solar and battery systems and electricity distribution networks across Australia.
The initial deployment will allow connected devices and network operators to verify each other’s identities, helping protect the data and emergency control commands exchanged across the electricity network.
More than 4.2 million Australian homes have rooftop solar, with adoption of home batteries, smart inverters, and electric vehicle chargers increasing the number of devices interacting with the grid.
Established as a not-for-profit, the National Energy PKI provides a common national framework for digital identity across the energy sector.
Since its launch, 44 solar and battery manufacturers have joined the framework, representing approximately 94 per cent of the Australian market.
National Energy PKI chief executive Naomi Wynn said a consistent approach to device identity was increasingly important as distributed energy resources became more integrated with the electricity network.
“With millions of devices connecting to our electricity grid, Australia must have a harmonised, sovereign and cyber secure approach,” Wynn said.
“The National Energy PKI ensures devices can communicate securely across different distribution networks while reducing complexity, duplication, and potential security gaps. By establishing a common national framework, we're helping build a more resilient and cyber secure energy system that can support the next generation of connected energy technologies.”
DigiCert was selected following a competitive process to provide the public key infrastructure supporting secure communications under the Common Smart Inverter Profile-Australia (CSIP-AUS) standard. The standard enables consistent device authentication across participating networks.
DigiCert’s Device Trust Manager will provide certificate management, including automated renewals and a pathway to quantum-resistant cryptography.
DigiCert Area Vice President for ANZ Daniel Sutherland said securing individual devices was becoming essential to protecting increasingly connected critical infrastructure.
“Millions of devices are becoming active participants in the Australian electricity system. Each needs a trusted identity and a way to verify that instructions come from an authorised source and haven’t been altered,” he said.
“Through our work with the National Energy PKI, DigiCert Device Trust Manager is helping lay a shared foundation that automates certificate renewals and can move to quantum-resistant cryptography without being rebuilt.”
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