DER Security Corp received a $171,745 Project Grant from the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science under the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program (CFDA 81.049), awarded on July 8, 2025, with completion targeted for April 7, 2026. The project, titled "Unsupervised Learning for DER (UNDER): Detecting Power System Attacks Using Machine Learning and Digital Twins," supports fundamental research in applying machine learning and digital twin technologies to enhance detection and response capabilities for distributed energy resource (DER) systems against cyber and physical attacks. This research aligns with the DOE Office of Science's mission to advance basic scientific research with applications to energy security and represents the type of technology-focused fundamental research the program routinely funds across its portfolio of nearly 29,000 researchers at over 300 institutions nationwide.
The award reflects the Office of Science's strategic priority in artificial intelligence and machine learning applications for energy systems. Research will be conducted at DER Security Corp's facility in Santa Cruz, California, and is expected to advance understanding of power system vulnerabilities while developing practical tools for improved grid security. This project demonstrates DOE's continued investment in securing critical energy infrastructure through innovative computational and modeling approaches.