LONDON – Western energy infrastructure could be vulnerable to cyberattacks or remote sabotage due to the presence of undocumented communications devices in some Chinese-made solar and storage equipment. In recent months, U.S. experts have discovered cellular radios hidden in inverters and batteries made by Chinese companies, according to people familiar with the matter, revealing major flaws in the security of power grids.
These devices, essential to the operation of solar panels, wind turbines, home batteries, and electric vehicle chargers, typically allow for remote management for maintenance. However, unlisted communications devices have been identified that are capable of bypassing firewalls installed by energy suppliers. Former NSA director Mike Rogers warns that this equipment could be used by Beijing to destabilize Western power grids in the event of geopolitical tensions.
These discoveries, still not officially acknowledged by Washington, come amid a hardening of US stances toward China. A bill currently before the Senate intends to ban the purchase of batteries from several major Chinese companies as early as 2027. Similar discussions are underway regarding inverters, which are dominated worldwide by Huawei, Sungrow, and Solis.
Recent incidents, such as the shutdown of inverters in the United States following a trade dispute between suppliers Sol-Ark and Deye, have highlighted the dangers of over-reliance on foreign-controlled technologies. In Europe, countries such as Lithuania and Estonia have already restricted the use of Chinese equipment in the energy sector. The United Kingdom, for its part, is currently reviewing the risks associated with these technologies in its critical infrastructure.
With more than 200 gigawatts of solar capacity connected to Chinese inverters in Europe—the equivalent of 200 nuclear reactors—the stakes are immense. If enough of these devices were manipulated simultaneously, it could cause massive power outages. The energy sector thus appears to be lagging behind other sectors such as telecoms or semiconductors, where control measures have already been implemented.
In response to these risks, the U.S. Department of Energy says it is working to strengthen the transparency of software and hardware components and promote domestic production of "trusted equipment." But while China maintains a significant industrial lead in renewable technologies, the dilemma between national security and a rapid energy transition is becoming increasingly acute.
