Method and System for Detection of Remote Control Errors in Wind Farms

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This patent describes a method and system for detecting remote control errors, specifically errors caused by cyberattacks or unauthorized manipulation, in wind farms. The invention uses cameras to visually monitor the rotational speed of wind turbines and sends this data via a separate independent network to the control center. By comparing this independently-sourced visual data with the operational data transmitted through the conventional SCADA network, the system can quickly identify discrepancies, triggering alarms if suspicious differences are detected, thereby enhancing cyber-security and operational reliability of wind farms.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Wind farm operation centers seeking to detect cyberattacks or unauthorized manipulation of turbine data.
• Energy companies looking for added security layers to protect critical infrastructure from SCADA network attacks.
• Remote monitoring centers verifying accurate data transmission from distributed energy resources.
• Regulatory compliance systems requiring proof of wind farm operational data integrity.
• Integration into broader Industry 4.0 automation environments requiring robust safeguards against data manipulation.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides an independent verification method for operational wind turbine data, enhancing security.
• Enables early detection of cyberattacks or internal manipulation, reducing risks of energy distribution failures.
• Improves operational integrity and trustworthiness of SCADA-monitored wind farms.
• Alerts operators in real time, promoting faster incident response.
• Reduces the potential economic and societal impact from compromised renewable energy infrastructure.
• Can be implemented without significant changes to existing wind farm hardware.
• Supports compliance with emerging cyber-security standards in the energy sector.

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Patent Abstract

Method and system for detection of a remote control error in a wind farm, wherein the wind farm is connected to a human machine interface, HMI, via a supervisory control and data acquisition, SCADA, network for remote control and monitoring, wherein at least one camera is provided at the wind farm, the wind farm comprises at least one of turbines, and all of the turbines of the wind farm are within the field of view of the at least one camera, wherein the camera is connected to a main controller at the human machine interface via a network different and independent from the SCADA network, wherein the method comprises capturing video data from the at least one camera, processing, in an image processing unit, the captured video data and extracting the rotational speed for each turbine of the wind farm based on the processed video data , transmitting the extracted rotational speed of each turbine to the main controller, performing in a plausibility check unit, preferably at the main controller, a plausibility check with operational data received via the SCADA network based on the extracted rotational speed for each turbine, and transmitting an error signal to the human machine interface based on the result of the plausibility check.