February 17, 2026
- The new UL Solutions cybersecurity certification for microgrids and inverter-based devices helps give manufacturers, utilities, regulators and grid operators a common way to assess and certify device security.
- As more next-generation technologies connect to the grid, this new cybersecurity certification will evaluate access control, cryptography and policy practices, while complementing existing safety testing.
- Certification from UL Solutions will confirm embedded security in design and interoperability and help increase confidence in a more decentralized grid.
NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Feb. 17, 2025 – UL Solutions Inc. (NYSE: ULS), a global leader in safety science, has launched a new certification program that creates the first industry-wide cybersecurity baseline for distributed energy resources (DER) and inverter-based devices, such as microgrids, batteries, hydrogen systems and electric vehicle infrastructure, providing a common framework for evaluating and certifying the cyber protections of devices connected to the grid.
Emerging energy technologies are transforming the electric grid by adding flexibility, reliability and expanded power generation. However, combining older equipment with modern internet-connected technologies also increases cyber risk, since many legacy devices were not built to meet today’s cybersecurity expectations. This certification program provides manufacturers, utilities, regulators and grid operators with a consensus-based framework for mitigating that risk.
“Our new cybersecurity testing and certification program brings clarity and common expectations by providing a standards-driven step to reduce cyber risk, which is critical for grid reliability, protecting infrastructure, and growing public confidence in the new technologies that power communities,” said Ken Boyce, vice president at UL Solutions. “By combining cybersecurity evaluation with safety testing, we help manufacturers embed security from the start and give buyers confidence in distributed energy and inverter-based products.”
Testing for this cybersecurity certification follows requirements in UL 2941, the Standard for Cybersecurity of Distributed Energy and Inverter-Based Resources, which sets clear cybersecurity requirements for networked, software-driven devices that handle significant energy flows and affect grid stability. The standard encompasses technical controls, such as access management and cryptography, as well as policy areas including the handling of sensitive data and documentation.
It is designed to complement existing safety testing, UL 1741, the Standard for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use With Distributed Energy Resources, not replace it, and allows manufacturers to choose how to meet the required protections.
The new cybersecurity certification program evolved from practical fieldwork, including test cases published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in 2019, which focused on authentication, authorization, confidentiality and data integrity for microgrid communications. Those efforts highlighted the need for a dedicated cybersecurity standard that accommodates the diverse range of DER and inverter-based technologies and their complex ownership structures.
“As energy resources integrate with the grid, cybersecurity can no longer be an afterthought and must be built into device design and deployment,” said Danish Saleem, senior researcher in NLR’s Cybersecurity Research Center. “Certification to UL 2941 by UL Solutions gives the industry a rigorous, practical path to confirm those protections are in place, increasing confidence for utilities, owners and communities that depend on these resources.”
Learn more about the cybersecurity of distributed energy and inverter-based resources.
About UL Solutions
A global leader in applied safety science, UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS) transforms safety, security and sustainability challenges into opportunities for customers in more than 110 countries. UL Solutions delivers testing, inspection and certification services, together with software products and advisory offerings, that support our customers’ product innovation and business growth. The UL Mark serves as a recognized symbol of trust in our customers’ products and reflects an unwavering commitment to advancing our safety mission. We help our customers innovate, launch new products and services, navigate global markets and complex supply chains, and grow sustainably and responsibly into the future. Our science is your advantage.
Media contacts:
Tyler Khan
UL Solutions
ULNews@UL.com
T: +1 (847) 664.2139
Steven Brewster
UL Solutions
ULNews@UL.com
T: +1 (847) 664.8425