Benefits and Challenges of Integrating IIoT in Smart Energy Systems

The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing the techniques and procedures of enterprises by enabling the amalgamation of heterogeneous devices and systems to generate a seamless and astute environment for their applications and operations. The assimilation of IoT in the energy sector, falling under the sphere of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), is highly auspicious since it has the potential to engender intelligent energy systems that are characterized by upgraded range of machines and devices within a network leading to heightened accuracy, efficiency, dependability, and sustainability. Nonetheless, the integration of IIoT in smart energy systems is accompanied by an added layer of security quandaries that necessitate meticulous redressal to ensure their secure and safe functioning. With their vast scope and endless functional possibilities that prove their utility, IIoT applications in the domain of energy must seek approval after careful consideration of their gains as well as the potential threats they entail. In this paper, an effort has been made to provide a brief overview of the benefits and security challenges of integrating IIoT in smart energy systems.