Conservatives demand Labour instigate an “immediate pause and review” of the green transition amid fears Beijing could turn off the UK’s power at a moment’s notice.
Chinese-made components embedded in Western solar energy infrastructure may pose a serious threat to national security, engineers have warned, after uncovering covert “kill switches” within solar panel systems used across the US and Europe.
According to a recent Reuters investigation, undisclosed communication devices have been discovered inside Chinese-manufactured power inverters, key components of solar power systems that link them to the electrical grid.
These rogue devices, reportedly capable of bypassing firewalls, could allow remote access to Western power grids, potentially allowing Beijing to shut down or even destroy vital energy systems during a future conflict.
“That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid,” one expert told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
These revelations come amid heightened concerns about Chinese influence over global supply chains and critical infrastructure. The findings suggest that Chinese authorities could, in theory, weaponise their dominance over renewable energy technology to plunge Western nations into darkness during times of geopolitical tension or war.
Over the past nine months, engineers inspecting solar infrastructure have reportedly discovered undocumented cellular radios and other communications devices hidden within inverters and batteries sourced from China. The manufacturers responsible have not been publicly named.
As reported in the Daily Mail, Mike Rogers, former director of the US National Security Agency, warned: “We know that China believes there is value in placing at least some elements of our core infrastructure at risk of destruction or disruption. I think that the Chinese are, in part, hoping that the widespread use of inverters limits the options that the West has to deal with the security issue.”
The US Department of Energy (DOE) acknowledged the risk, stating that it is actively evaluating the implications of such hidden functionalities. “While this functionality may not have malicious intent, it is critical for those procuring to have a full understanding of the capabilities of the products received,” a DOE spokesperson told Reuters.
China’s embassy in Washington rejected the allegations, saying: “We oppose the generalisation of the concept of national security, distorting and smearing China’s infrastructure achievements.”
UK Response and Growing Security Concerns
In the UK, shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie has called on Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to conduct an “immediate pause and review” of the nation’s transition to green energy.
Bowie told The Telegraph: “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.”
He added: “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.”
While British solar panels are sourced from a range of international suppliers, it remains unclear whether Chinese-manufactured inverters with these suspected “kill switches” have made their way into the UK’s own power grid.
The UK Government is currently conducting a review into Chinese involvement in the renewable energy sector. Despite this, it is continuing its efforts to expand solar installations, recently announcing plans to install panels on “every possible rooftop” and requiring all new homes to include solar panels by 2027.
Chinese Dominance in Renewable Energy Technology
China’s grip on the global market for renewable energy components is extensive. Huawei, a company under long-term scrutiny by Western governments, was the world’s largest supplier of power inverters in 2022, holding 29% of global market share. Chinese firms Sungrow and Ginlong Solis also rank among the top manufacturers.
Huawei has been banned from the US inverter market since 2019, following national security concerns, but it continues to dominate internationally.
Philipp Schroeder, CEO of German solar company 1Komma5, warned that China’s influence over European energy systems now poses a significant strategic risk.
“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,” he said. “China’s dominance is becoming a bigger issue because of the growing renewables capacity on Western grids and the increased likelihood of a prolonged and serious confrontation between China and the West.”
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