Cyber-Secure Energy Hubs

In 2026, The ‘Cyber-Secure Energy Hubs’ project has been granted more than €900,000 in 'Kansen voor West' funding to improve the digital security of our energy system as a result of the energy transition. This funding is being used to execute a 3-year project worth more than €1.9 million. Twelve organisations are involved in the execution of this project.

Unfortunately, the high degree of digitalisation has also made our energy system more vulnerable. Within the Cyber-Secure Energy Hubs project, SMEs and three field labs from South Holland are working together to improve the digital security of our energy system. Partners are working on innovative solutions to protect existing IT and OT infrastructure and on the development of ‘Secure by Design’ energy services and energy hub architecture. In this way, South Holland is leading the way in making the energy system cyber-secure.

Energy hubs

Energy hubs are local collaborations in which companies and organisations intelligently coordinate the generation, consumption and storage of energy. By organising smart technology and digitalisation in (decentralised) energy hubs, they can contribute to accelerating the energy transition.

Arno Bonte, Deputy of the Province of South Holland: “The energy transition requires an energy system that is not only sustainable, but also digitally secure and reliable. With its strong energy cluster and innovative SMEs, South Holland is in an important position to contribute to this challenge. With this project, we bring together knowledge, innovation and practice ánd work on concrete solutions that companies can apply directly. In this way, we strengthen the digital resilience of our energy system and create the conditions for a future-proof energy transition.”

Concrete solutions

The project partners are working on concrete solutions for digital security in the design, development and management phases of these decentralised energy hubs.

• Design: Architecture of digitally secure decentralised energy hubs
• Development: Energy solutions that are designed to be “secure by design” and can be safely connected
• Operation & Maintenance: Protection of existing IT and OT infrastructure

The knowledge acquired will be brought together and translated into practical insights for the secure establishment of energy hubs.

Research into innovative solutions for SMEs

Three field labs are involved in this project. At these physical test locations with existing energy facilities, SMEs from the energy and security sectors develop and test new technologies and security solutions. They also work on practical ways to securely configurate local energy hubs.

For example, aXite Security Tools is building a digital twin of the 'Slim Strandnet' in Scheveningen: a digital copy of the installation in which vulnerabilities and security measures can be tested without affecting the energy supply. LiveDrop is doing the same with its virtual data diode solution for the Do IoT Fieldlab. At the Duurzaamheidsfabriek, Technolution, VitrumNet and VMB Automation are looking at the possibilities for security arrangements, such as the choice between centralised or decentralised monitoring at product level. At The Green Village, Currentt and Weaver Technologies are taking their existing energy products and services to a higher level of security. Comforest is doing the same at the Do IoT Fieldlab.

Meindert Stolk, Deputy of the Province of South Holland: “A smart energy supply must also be a secure energy supply. With this project, we are giving innovative SMEs the opportunity to develop new cyber-secure solutions. This boosts the resilience of our energy infrastructure and for the economic strength of South Holland.”

Collaboration

The following parties are involved in this initiative:

• Entrepreneurs in the energy and security sectors: aXite Security Tools, Comforest, Currentt, LiveDrop, Technolution, VitrumNet, VMB Automation and Weaver Technologies
• Knowledge institution/field labs: ROC DaVinci College/Duurzaamheidsfabriek, Living Lab Scheveningen and TU Delft with The Green Village and Do IoT Fieldlab
• Security cluster: Security Delta (HSD)

This project is co-funded by the European Union and Kansen voor West and is connected to the Cyber-Secure Energy Transition Innovation Coalition.