No Company Too Small: Safeguarding Privacy and Cybersecurity in Renewable Energy
Small and mid-sized renewable energy companies often prioritize engineering, permitting, and financing, and rightly so. But in today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity and data privacy must be part of the core strategy—not an afterthought. These are not just “big company” concerns. Cybersecurity threats and compliance requirements impact every player in the renewable space, regardless of size or budget.
Why It Matters
Every Company Holds Sensitive Data: Startups and growing firms routinely manage sensitive information—project bids, interconnection agreements, investor details, consumer data, and even critical infrastructure access credentials.
The Stakes Are High: A data breach or compliance misstep can lead to regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and lost business opportunities. The old mindset — “We’re too small to be a target” — has been replaced by a stark reality — “we’re too small to recover from a preventable incident.”
Regulatory Landscape: Compliance isn’t optional. State breach laws, data privacy regulations, and utility-specific requirements apply to all market participants.
Practical Steps for Any Budget
You don’t need a dedicated cybersecurity team or in-house counsel to make meaningful progress. Smart, scalable actions include:
Know Your Obligations: Understanding what laws and contractual commitments apply, like state breach laws, data privacy requirements, or utility regulations, is a starting point. Start with a compliance checklist tailored to your operations and geography.
Build Basic Safeguards: Implement technical controls (e.g., multi-factor authentication, regular software updates) and internal processes (no matter how lean) to address employee access, incident reporting, and vendor due diligence. These don’t have to be expensive, but they should be intentional and implemented.
Train Your Team: Employee awareness is the first line of defense. Regular, role-specific training for your employees reduces risk and empowers your team.
Review Contracts: Ensure your agreements address data protection, breach notification, and liability allocation.
Develop a Privacy Policy: Even a simple, clear policy demonstrates commitment to stakeholders and regulators.
Know When to Seek Help: Engage outside experts for assessments, incident response planning, or complex compliance questions.
Cybersecurity as a Competitive Advantage
In a sector built on customer and investor trust, regulatory oversight, and long-term infrastructure planning, privacy and cybersecurity are more than risk management—they’re a market differentiator. Demonstrating preparedness signals credibility, foresight, and resilience to customers, investors, and partners.
Start Now, Scale Up
The best time to start is before an incident occurs. Smaller renewable companies may not have a dedicated cybersecurity team or in-house counsel, but they can still make smart, scalable choices. A simple privacy policy, employee training, and review of key contracts are foundational. So is knowing when to call in help. Starting early, even with a basic framework, can save much more than it costs. Cybersecurity isn’t about fear. It’s about responsibility—and readiness.
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For More Information
If you have questions about implementing these strategies or need tailored guidance for your organization, please contact Tom Vincent, Elizabeth Delnegro, or your regular Pierson Ferdinand contact.
This publication and/or any linked publications herein do not constitute legal, accounting, or other professional advice or opinions on specific facts or matters and, accordingly, the author(s) and PierFerd assume no liability whatsoever in connection with its use. Pursuant to applicable rules of professional conduct, this publication may constitute Attorney Advertising. © 2025 Pierson Ferdinand LLP.
