UK Pressure to Review Solar Infrastructure Amid Fears of Chinese ‘Kill Switches’

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UK Faces Growing Pressure to Review Solar Infrastructure Amid Fears of Chinese ‘Kill Switches’

 

Fresh concerns over the security of Western energy infrastructure have emerged after hidden Chinese “kill switches” were reportedly found embedded in solar farms across the United States. The revelations have ignited calls for an immediate pause in the UK’s renewable energy rollout, with critics urging Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to reassess the country’s green energy strategy to protect national security.

 

"U.S. energy officials are reassessing the risk posed by Chinese-made devices that play a critical role in renewable energy infrastructure after unexplained communication equipment was found inside some of them, two people familiar with the matter said."

 

The potentially compromising components—cellular radios capable of remotely disabling solar equipment—were discovered within power inverters manufactured by unnamed Chinese companies, according to a Reuters investigation. These inverters serve as vital links in the power system, converting energy produced by solar and wind installations into a form usable by the grid. One source described the security implications as deeply troubling, stating that such devices could provide Beijing with “a built-in way to physically destroy the grid.”

 

While China has dismissed the allegations as a smear campaign, the discoveries have triggered alarm within US government circles and raised fears that similar vulnerabilities may exist in British solar infrastructure. Shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie expressed grave concern over the findings, calling on Miliband to launch an urgent investigation. “We were already aware of concerns being raised by the Ministry of Defence and the security and intelligence services surrounding possible monitoring technology on Chinese-built wind turbines – but given the dominance of China in solar, these developments are equally if not even more worrying,” Bowie said.

 

 

“Ed Miliband’s Made in China transition – clean power at the expense of everything else – is a threat to our national security and makes a mockery of his claims on energy security. It is essential that an immediate pause and review is carried out to ensure the safety and security of our energy system,” he added.

 

 

A UK government spokesperson responded by stressing that national security remains paramount. “We would never let anything get in the way of our national security, and while we would not comment on individual cases, our energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny.”

 

Industry voices, however, urged caution against overreaction. Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, said, “If any of these inverters are present in the UK, which has not yet been established – and if the allegations prove true – they could be replaced rapidly. It should also be stressed that solar energy is helping to wean the UK off reliance on fossil fuels from unstable regimes, improving our energy security and lowering costs.”

 

China’s dominance in the global solar market is well-established. Chinese firms currently produce over half of the world’s solar inverters, with Huawei and Sungrow alone accounting for the majority share in 2023. The European Solar Manufacturing Council estimates that more than 200 gigawatts of European solar capacity—equivalent to the output of 200 nuclear power plants—relies on Chinese-made inverters. Christoph Podewils, secretary general of the Council, warned, “This means Europe has effectively surrendered remote control of a vast portion of its electricity infrastructure.”

 

Recent blackouts in Spain and Portugal highlighted the fragility of the grid, reportedly triggered by the sudden loss of just 2GW of capacity. Philipp Schroeder, chief executive of German solar firm 1Komma5, explained the increasing risks: “Ten years ago, if you switched off the Chinese inverters, it would not have caused a dramatic thing to happen to European grids, but now the critical mass is much larger.”

 

In the US, tensions flared in November when Chinese-made inverters were remotely switched off, leading to a dispute between a Texas-based solar company and its supplier, Zhejiang-based Deye. While there was no direct link between that incident and the recently discovered components—and no wrongdoing was alleged against Deye—the incident underscores the complexity of the issue.

 

The US Department of Energy acknowledged awareness of both situations but had not disclosed them publicly until now. A spokesperson said that the findings did not necessarily indicate “malicious intent,” but emphasized, “It is critical for those procuring to have a full understanding of the capabilities of the products received.”

 

As the US moves toward a potential ban on Chinese-made equipment in its grid—mirroring earlier restrictions on Huawei telecoms technology—British policymakers now face mounting pressure to scrutinize the UK's energy infrastructure more rigorously. Earlier this year, Ministry of Defence officials also raised red flags over the involvement of Chinese firm Mingyang Smart Energy in supplying turbines to the Green Volt wind farm off Scotland, warning the arrangement would allow Chinese engineers frequent site access under the guise of maintenance. That concern has only deepened the urgency to act.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-05-17

 

 

[newbee2022]

It seems to me like a bugaboo.

All bad and suspicious what comes from China.

Vice versa: what about US products sold in China?

What about spyware in Tesla cars?

[Jumbo1968]

The Chinese have a 30% share in the new Hinckley Point nuclear power station, what’s to stop the Chinese installing kill switches there ?