Smart meter gateway
The Smart Meter Gateway ( SMGW ) is the central communication unit of an intelligent measuring system, which was developed according to the specifications of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) . The main task of the smart meter gateway is the secure data transmission in the intelligent measuring system.
Legal background
As part of the digitization of the energy transition, the Metering Point Operation Act came into force in 2016 . This regulates the market for the operation of measuring points and the equipping of the line-bound energy supply with modern measuring devices and intelligent measuring systems.
In 2010 the BSI received the order from the Federal Ministry of Economics to develop two protection profiles and a technical guideline for the communication unit of an intelligent measuring system. As part of the "MessSystem 2020" project, the Network Technology / Network Operation Forum has drawn up specifications for standardized smart meter gateways from April 2012.
System architecture
The smart meter gateway has three defined interfaces. The electronic meters are connected to the smart meter gateway via the local metrological network (LMN). External access is via the onward traffic interface ( WAN ) and access from the local home network is via the Home Area Network ( HAN ). In this structure, the smart meter gateway has to ensure that all communication connections are encrypted and that only known participants and devices are trusted.
Local metrological network
According to the technical guideline, the LMN interface can be designed as a short-range radio interface (wireless Mbus) or as a serial interface.
The SMGW communicates with the connected meters (electricity, gas, water, heat) of one or more end consumers via the LMN interface. The meters communicate their measured values to the SMGW via the LMN.
Wide area network
The WAN interface is designed as an IP interface. For security reasons, all communication connections originate from the Smart Meter Gateway. These can be established by the gateway as required or at specified times. However, in order to be able to react to spontaneous events, the smart meter gateway can be prompted to establish a connection via a wake-up service.
The smart meter gateway is integrated into a public key infrastructure via the WAN interface and all communication is encrypted with TLS .
Home Area Network
The HAN interface is designed as an Ethernet interface and is used to integrate the smart meter gateway into the customer's home network. Controllable devices such as intelligent household appliances or an energy generator can be connected to this, for example. The HAN interface also includes a controllable local system (CLS) interface that enables remote access to controllable generators ( photovoltaic system , combined heat and power plant ) and interruptible consumer devices ( charging station , night storage heater ). The smart meter gateway ensures that all external access to controllable devices in the household is encrypted.
In addition, the customer can query his consumption and, in the case of a generating plant, the feed-in values via the HAN interface. To do this, he can connect the smart meter gateway to a PC or tablet via Ethernet .
Gateway administration
The smart meter gateway administrator is responsible for the safe, technical operation of the intelligent measuring system. It must therefore be ensured that the administrator's operation meets the minimum requirements for enforcing information security. Proof of the implementation of the defined minimum requirements can be provided on the one hand by ISO 27001 certification based on IT-Grundschutz and on the other hand by certification in accordance with ISO / IEC 27001. The gateway administrator is either the measuring point operator (responsible or competitive) or a company commissioned by the measuring point operator.
The gateway administrator is responsible for the safe technical operation of the intelligent measuring system. His duties are
- Installation,
- Installation,
- Configuration,
- Administration,
- Maintenance of the smart meter gateway and the
- IT connection of measuring devices and other technical facilities connected to the Smart Meter Gateway.
The smart meter gateway administrator must have a certificate from the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) that ensures compliance with legal requirements.
Safety requirements
Due to the high requirements for data protection and data security in the field of intelligent measuring systems, only those intelligent measuring systems will be approved in Germany that meet the requirements of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) for a smart meter gateway.
The minimum requirements for data security and possible threat scenarios are specified in the protection profile BSI-CC-PP-0073. The protection profile corresponds to the security standard Common Criteria EAL4 + AVA_VAN 5 and ALC_FNR.2. The further specifications of the technical guideline BSI TR-03109 are based on this.
On December 12, 2018, the Federal Office for Information Security issued the first certificate based on the protection profile for the smart meter gateway from PPC and Open Limit. The third smart meter gateway was certified on December 19, 2019. The prerequisites for the market declaration according to § 30 MsbG by the BSI are thus met. The BMWi expects this to take place in early 2020.
The first installation of an intelligent measuring system with a certified smart meter gateway took place in December 2018 by E.ON and Netze BW.
technical requirements
The technical guideline TR-03109 contains the functional requirements that a smart meter gateway must at least meet.
Use
Smart meter gateways form the technical basis for the operation of intelligent measurement systems and thus enable the digitalization of the energy transition.
Further advantages are:
Consumption transparency
Smart meter gateways guarantee “reliable collection, processing, transmission, logging, storage and also deletion of the measured values” in the intelligent measuring system. The data transmission is encrypted. The consumer can call up his data via the transparency and display software TRuDI or via corresponding customer portals.
Avoidance of on-site reading costs
There is no need for the consumer to read the electricity meter every year in the house, as the Smart Meter Gateway sends the data to the supplier.
Load and time-dependent tariffs
Variable electricity tariffs make different electricity price levels possible in one tariff, i. H. At certain times (e.g. during the day or at night) electricity is more expensive or cheaper. This means that consumers can actively influence the level of their electricity costs with their consumption behavior. Due to the real-time consumption values, unnecessary power guzzlers such as B. incorrectly connected devices or standby consumers are identified and energy consumption is reduced.
Network stability
Smart meter gateways send data about current electricity consumption and enable network operators to get an overview of generation and loads in the network area. In this way, it is possible to react flexibly to the increasing number of renewable energies and the associated fluctuations in generation and loads, and to ensure grid stability
Bundling of lines of business - multi-line metering
Not only consumption values for electricity, but also those of other sectors such as natural gas and district heating can in future be read out via the smart meter gateway. This offers the housing industry in particular many advantages. For example, energy providers and housing companies can use multi-line metering to significantly reduce process costs for metering point operation and meter reading.
Technically, it would be possible for smart meter gateways to perform additional tasks in addition to power measurement - in smart homes, smart buildings, for battery charging in electromobility and in health care for telemonitoring . The idea of such an intelligent power grid was explained in a key issues paper for an integrated energy and climate program by the Minister of Economics Michael Glos in 2007. However, in 2020 commercial charging stations are "not yet technically designed for this", replied Christian Hirte, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, when asked whether commercial charging stations for e-cars can already be synchronized with the power grids. There are problems with protocols for data transmission.
Further development
The further development of smart meter gateways and their cross-sectoral significance are described in the roadmap of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the BSI of January 29, 2019. The "standardization strategy for cross-sectoral digitization according to the law on the digitization of the energy transition" is the authoritative and continuously updated work plan for the further development of the smart meter gateway for other areas of application according to the law on the digitization of the energy transition (GDEW) to a comprehensive communication platform for the energy transition. The roadmap supports the implementation of legal requirements and contains work and time plans that are further developed in dialogue with the industries and authorities concerned. In the course of this further development an SMGW communication platform is to be developed. In the course of 2020, standards are to be set for the connection of private charging stations and multi-line metering.
criticism
Cost increase
Consumers and consumer protection organizations criticize the rising prices for the installation of an intelligent metering system. The costs for the end user will rise from an average of 22 euros per year today to up to 72 euros per year. The cost-benefit analysis carried out by the auditing firm Ernst & Young on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy comes to the conclusion that no costs can be saved in average households with intelligent meters. Thereafter, the costs significantly exceed the potential savings. An installation obligation is assessed as unreasonable.
Privacy issues
Data protection plays an important role in the use of smart meters, because the fine-grained recording of power consumption data can enable conclusions to be drawn about the life cycle of citizens. In addition to aspects of encryption, the discussions therefore regularly revolve around how granular consumption data is stored, where it is stored and who has access to the data. Critics believe that the protection of privacy is questionable because there is a risk that the customer will become a “ transparent customer ” if consumption profiles are transferred to the electricity supplier. The collection and improper evaluation of consumption data allowed extensive conclusions to be drawn about the lifestyle of customers . For this reason, in the German model, the detailed consumption data should not regularly be transmitted to the network operator. Wherever possible, they should remain in the intelligent measuring system. A tariff, d. H. the assignment of power consumption values to tariff levels for the purpose of creating an invoice should primarily take place in the smart meter gateway (“decentralized tariffing”). The network operator does not have to have detailed consumption data in order to bill according to different tariffs - he only has to switch the meter's tariff. In the new architecture according to the BSI protection profile, the user must always be able to see his data and its use.
Security of supply and smart meters as a point of attack
Another problem with the intelligent power grid is the risk of electronic attacks, including a blackout , the sudden power failure of large power grids. While it is assumed that the central control and data storage systems of the utilities are protected according to the state of the art, the smart meters are additional local points of attack.
literature
- BSI: The Smart Meter Gateway. Intelligent Network Security; October 2015; BSI-Bro15 / 332 ( PDF )
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Eon, Innogy and Netze BW are installing the first smart meters. Retrieved March 6, 2019 .
- ↑ FNN project MessSystem 2020 ( Memento from April 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ BSI - Smart Meter Gateway. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ CLS-Operator - the coordination function for intelligent networks , accessed on October 17, 2017.
- ↑ Ulrich Greveler: The Smart Metering Debate 2010-2016 and its results on the protection of privacy . In: T. Härder; R. Schenkel (Hrsg.): Database spectrum, magazine for database technologies and information retrieval . Springer, Heidelberg 2016.
- ↑ Federal Network Agency - Smart Meter - Smart Meter Gateway Administrator. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Office for Information Security: The Smart Meter Gateway Cyber Security for the digitization of the energy transition. (PDF) Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ § 19 MsbG - single standard. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ BSI: Protection profile for a smart meter gateway (BSI-CC-PP-0073). (No longer available online.) June 17, 2015, archived from the original on June 17, 2015 ; accessed on March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Office for Information Security: Technical Guideline BSI TR-03109. (PDF) Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ First smart meter gateway certified. Milestone of the energy transition reached. Federal Office for Information Security, December 20, 2018, accessed on December 20, 2018 .
- ↑ BMWi: Rollout is getting closer: Third certificate for smart meter gateway handed over. December 19, 2019, accessed December 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Here we go - first certified smart meter gateways installed. Accessed March 15, 2019 (German).
- ↑ Technical guideline BSI TR-03109-1. (PDF; 2,918.94 kB) In: Federal Office for Information Security. January 16, 2019, accessed June 23, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Office for Security in Information Technology: Market analysis to determine the technical possibility of installing intelligent measuring systems according to § 30 MsbG. (PDF) Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Transparency and display software TRuDI. January 21, 2019, accessed March 15, 2019 .
- ^ Stadtwerke Germersheim: Questions about the smart meter rollout. (PDF) Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: Important milestone for the digitization of the energy transition: First certificate for smart meter gateway handed over. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: Cornerstones for an integrated energy and climate program. (PDF) Retrieved January 22, 2020 .
- ↑ Spiegel Online: Smart meters are too stupid for electric cars. January 22, 2020, accessed January 22, 2020 .
- ↑ Standardization strategy for cross-sector digitization according to the law on the digitization of the energy transition. (PDF) Roadmap for the further development of the technical BSI standards in the form of protection profiles and technical guidelines. Retrieved March 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Open the Measuring Point Operation Act for innovations. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: Ernst & Young GmbH: Cost-benefit analysis for a widespread use of intelligent meters. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ FOCUS Online: Intelligent electricity meters should help us save. But we pay with data. Retrieved March 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Federal Office for Information Security: BSI TR-03109-1, No. 4.2.2.2 TAF2: Time-variable tariffs (according to § 40 (5) EnWG) .
- ↑ Federal Office for Information Security: BSI Protection Profile BSI-CC-PP-0073, p. 19 .
- ↑ Black out through intelligent electricity meters. In: EnergieZukunft.de. July 27, 2015, accessed September 20, 2019 .