Cyber Threats to Green Hydrogen Production Within a Solar Microgrid

Abstract

The transition towards sustainable energy systems depends heavily on the reliable operation of renewable energy infrastructure, which is increasingly interconnected and digitized. Therefore, ensuring cybersecurity resilience is essential for maintaining the reliability and safety of renewable energy systems in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. This paper investigates the economic implications of data integrity and system configuration attacks on a green hydrogen production system within a solar microgrid. Through a comprehensive analysis, the vulnerability of the system to cyber intrusions that manipulate relay settings, electricity prices, and hydrogen level, is examined. Drawing on a multidisciplinary framework encompassing energy economics, cybersecurity, and renewable energy technologies, a methodological approach is developed to quantify the direct economic impacts of attacks. Simulation results indicate that such attacks can decrease profits by up to 14%.