An exciting new initiative has been created by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to catalyze the development of cybersecurity solutions for the nation’s clean energy grid of the future. The Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator brings together federal infrastructure and expertise, asset owners in the energy sector, and technology innovators in a way that has not yet been done before.
This new program comes at a time when cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure are evolving fast—and as the nation works towards a zero-emissions future. While new grid devices are rapidly being connected to the Internet of Things, which benefits consumers through choice, opportunity, and clean energy resources, such innovations can expose new risks and vulnerabilities that are not yet well understood. A disruptive approach to rapidly infuse cybersecurity innovation into renewable energy systems, without delaying time-to-market, is needed to outpace the speed of emerging threats to our evolving energy infrastructure.
“The Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator offers a strategic opportunity for private and public stakeholders to meet the national need for energy sector cybersecurity, while accelerating innovation and adoption,” said Jonathan White, director of NREL’s Cybersecurity Program Office. “If we are to be successful in the deployment of clean energy technologies at scale, we must ensure that our energy systems are secure and resilient to disruption—and must always be several steps ahead of our adversaries.”
Experts from the DOE Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) and the DOE Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EERE) will serve as a federal advisory board within the program. Strategic direction and cost-sharing will be provided by an industry-led steering committee, including experts from Xcel Energy, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and other utilities encouraged to join in the near future. As a result, the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator will allow technology startups to exit with competitive experience, new partnership opportunities, and professional evaluation of the most urgent cybersecurity challenges related to modern energy systems.
“Xcel Energy is a clean energy leader that serves millions of electric and gas customers across eight states, and we are committed to provide, safe, reliable and affordable service. Given the critical nature of the service we provide, cybersecurity is a crucial and ever-evolving part of our business,” said Jamey Sample, vice president and chief security and privacy officer for Xcel Energy. “We are pleased to invest in this effort, partnering with other companies and agencies to fight emerging cyber-threats and put our customers’ security needs first. Through this collaborative effort to share intelligence and resources, we can more effectively protect our customers and the entire energy grid.”
DOE and NREL have made significant investments in validation capabilities that individual asset owners or technology innovators could not field on their own. This public-private collaboration means asset owners of all sizes and types can benefit by jointly performing and learning from cybersecurity evaluations conducted in NREL’s neutral third-party environment.
NREL’s Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) cyber range, developed with support from EERE, will be used to evaluate each cohort’s cybersecurity solutions. The ARIES cyber range is capable of generating entire systems in a virtual world for threat analysis and evaluation powered by the Cyber-Energy Emulation Platform. Facilitated by expert NREL scientists, this virtual world allows participating tech companies and asset owners to validate cybersecurity technologies against the most critical cyber threat scenarios. As one of the most advanced simulation environments, the ARIES cyber range provides unparalleled real-time situational awareness and visualization to evaluate renewable energy system defenses with connection to over 20 MW of energy system hardware.
“The cybersecurity accelerator allows defenders to potentially use technology to get ahead of threat actors,” said Jeffrey Baumgartner, director of Security and Resilience at Berkshire Hathaway Energy. “Utilities, startups, and well-established cyber companies can partner to stress-test disruptive security technologies within the context of the full complexity of the grid. The accelerator partnership and NREL’s ARIES cyber range can combine to expedite cybersecurity technology adoption for critical infrastructure.”
This new initiative is the beginning of a visionary path that accelerates cyber innovation for modern, renewable energy technologies around high-priority cybersecurity risks to the energy sector.
Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a “Morning Meeting” livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here’s a recap of Tuesday’s key moments. 1. Wall Street was rallying Tuesday as voters headed to the polls on Election Day. The Nasdaq was leading the charge, up 1.3%. The S & P 500 was up roughly 1%. Jim Cramer called this a “relief rally” in anticipation of the U.S. election being over. A bright spot in the portfolio is DuPont , which rose more than 6% on Tuesday after the conglomerate delivered an earnings beat before the open. Even with Tuesday’s move, the stock hasn’t performed as well as we hoped this year, but we expect that its looming breaking up into three separate companies will help DuPont get the respect it deserves from investors. Check your emails and text later for our full DuPont earnings analysis. 2. Shares of Eaton rose more than 1% higher Tuesday after Bernstein initiated coverage on the Club stock with a buy-equivalent outperform rating and a price target of $382. That PT implies 13% upside from Monday’s close. The analysts said electricity demand is entering an era of secular growth driven by electrical infrastructure investments over the coming years. Jim agreed that Eaton shares are positioned to go higher given the company’s business is all about electric equipment and power management systems. We trimmed our Eaton position on Oct. 29, before the company reported earnings on Oct. 31, to lock in gains after the stock’s huge run. 3. Coterra Energy CEO Tom Jorden appeared on “Mad Money” and cleared up a comment he made on the company’s third-quarter earnings call last week. During the call, Jorden talked about hypothetical situations that could lead the company to “stretch” on M & A, and the stock took a hit. Jorden told Jim on Monday evening that he regretted the statement, saying Coterra is not considering a big acquisition that could stretch its balance sheet. “I felt very good about the stock after the interview,” Jim said on Tuesday’s Morning Meeting, adding he might be inclined to build a bigger position oil and natural gas producer in the event of a Donald Trump victory. 4. Stocks covered in Tuesday’s rapid fire at the end of the video were: Carvana , NXP Semiconductors , Yum! Brands , Palantir , and Dollar Tree . (Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust is long DD, ETN, CTRA. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Days after teasing a major reveal at the 2024 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, Kia has unveiled two unique and custom-built EV concepts designed for adventure off-road. During the unveiling, we got a look at a new spin on the ever-popular EV9 SUV called the “ADVNTR” and a rugged take on one of Kia’s new purpose-built vehicles (PBVs), the PV5, called “WKNDR.”
On October 30, Kia America posted a clandestine press release about an upcoming reveal at the annual SEMA show in Los Angeles. The first release featured a shadowy image of what appeared to be some off-road vehicle, with its recognizable Kia front fascia shining at the camera lens. The text read, “All roads lead to SEMA.”
We speculated that SEMA might be the event where Kia finally unveils the first of its two promised BEV pickup trucks. Since the headlamps closely resembled those of an EV9, we thought it could be the mule pickup we reported being tested in the US earlier this year. We were close.
Later that same day, Kia followed up with a second press release with the same title and quote but an image of a different off-road EV shining through the darkness, one that was much less recognizable.
Both releases had fine print stating that the vehicle in each image was a concept, so we curbed our expectations heading into this week’s 2024 SEMA show. This morning, Kia officially unveiled these two new off-road concept EVs, and they’re pretty cool looking. Have a gander at the EV9 ADVNTR and the PV5 WKNDR.
Kia unveils off-road concepts of its EV9 and PV5 EVs
According to the Korean automaker, designers from Kia Design Center America (KDCA) in Irvine, CA, imagined both off-road concepts. SEMA is usually a stage for OEMs to showcase concepts and accessories that are more rugged or heavy-duty.
Hence, the Kia team brought its A-game to Vegas with two new concept EVs that “intrinsically blend form and function into machines designed for responsible engagement with nature.”
The first is the EV9 ADVNTR, based on the three-row SUV that contributed to record sales for Kia in the US in October. Today, Kia shared that its off-road concept version of the EV9 is equipped with new custom front and rear facias, reinforced rocker panels, and rugged tires for more maneuverability in the elements.
Additionally, the EV9 ADVNTR can lift 3 inches higher than the standard 2025 SUV model and features a new roof rack that can haul luggage and hiking gear or support a roof-mounted tent.
In addition to the EV9 ADVNTR, Kia unveiled an off-road concept version of its new PV5 called the WKNDR. The PV5 is a middle-of-the-pack BEV in Kia’s latest ‘Purpose Beyond Vehicle’ lineup, which debuted at CES 2024.
While the standard PV5 was designed for commercial operations and last-mile deliveries, the Kia design team decided to take it off-road with the new WKNDR concept. This BEV van has been lifted and rigged with some hefty off-road tires, but like its predecessor, the interior of the PV5 WKNDR is what truly stands out.
Kia describes the off-road concept van as a “Swiss Army Knife on wheels,” offering a modular cabin that can be customized to an owner’s wants and needs. The conceptual design features a first-of-its-kind storage solution called the “Gear Head” feature that delivers off-board, sheltered storage space for equipment when the vehicle is stationary, maximizing interior space while providing owners with easy access to all their belongings.
Thanks to its modularity, Kia shared that the off-road van’s “Gear Head” space can also be converted into a mobile pantry for those foodies who want to assemble an array of cuisine while parked out in nature, or anywhere for that matter.
Kia also shared that its team designed the PV5 WKNDR to be self-sufficient as an off-road BEV. It features solar panels and hydro turbine wheels that can recharge the vehicle’s batteries and power other components, like an onboard compressor.
Since these remain mere concepts, we don’t have any performance specs for the Kia EV9 ADVNTR or PV5 WKNDR, nor can we confirm that either model will reach bonafide production for sale. However, Kia is thinking beyond its current lineup and is at least flirting with the idea of delivering some new models that would compete against the likes of Ford, Rivian, and recent reveals from VW Group’s Scout Motors.
At the very least, we may see some of these features and design elements in Kia’s upcoming BEV pickups. For now, however, these off-road EV concepts are an exciting exercise in design that once again shows how innovative and creative Hyundai Motor Group is across virtually all BEV segments.
We hope to see more concrete unveilings from the Korean automaker soon.
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With big discounts and lower-priced models hitting the market, electric vehicles are getting more and more affordable. Here are the EVs you can drive off in this November with lease prices under $300 a month.
EVs for lease for under $300 a month November 2024
New models like the Honda Prologue and Chevy Blazer, Equinox, and Silverado EVs are rolling out nationwide, giving buyers more options than ever.
According to Cox Automotive, over 100,000 EVs were sold in the US in September, the sixth straight month topping the 100K mark. Electric vehicles accounted for 9% of the US auto market, its highest to date.
The average transaction price (ATP) for new EVs was $56,328, but drastically higher incentives bring prices on par with or even under many comparable gas cars.
For example, the Honda Prologue electric SUV is available to lease for as low as $295 per month, including the down payment. That’s cheaper than a Honda Civic at $376 per month.
The Honda Prologue is one of the best EVs to lease this November. Here are the other models worth considering this month.
Lease From
Term (months)
Due at Signing
Effective rate per month (including upfront fees)
2024 Nissan LEAF
$109
36
$2,529
$179
2024 Kia Niro EV
$169
24
$3,999
$336
2024 Kia EV6
$179
24
$3,999
$346
2024 VinFast VF 8
$199
36
$894
$244
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 5
$159
24
$3,999
$326
2024 Honda Prologue
$259
36
$1,299
$295
EVs for lease under $300 per month in November 2024
According to online auto research firm CarsDirect, the Nissan LEAF retained the title of the cheapest EV you can lease in November listed at just $109 per month in Colorado.
With $2,529 due at signing, the effective monthly rate is just $179. However, the deal only includes state incentives, not offered elsewhere.
Kia’s Niro EV and EV6 are two of the best EV lease options this month, with monthly rates of $169 and $179.
After a recent price cut, the EV6 is offered at its lowest monthly rate since hitting the market. That’s for the Light Long-Range model with up to 310 miles of range.
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 remains a top lease option in November, with the updated 2025 model set for deliveries later this year. With lease prices starting at just $159 per month, Hyundai is offering its best-selling electric SUV at closeout prices.
Honda factors in a $1,000 conquest or loyalty offer in the lease deal. However, for a $48,000 electric SUV, the Prologue is still a steal.
Although not under $300, the Subaru Solterra is also worth considering at just $329 per month with no money down.
Ready to find your new EV? We can help you get started. Check out our links below to find the best deals on popular electric models in your area.
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