
Following the boom in solar energy investment in Europe, a new concern has emerged: the continent's dependence on Chinese technology. Experts warn that this could jeopardize the continent's energy security and electricity supply.
The European Commission has decided to stop financing solar equipment made in China, following concerns that these technologies could pose a risk to the European electricity grid and cause major power outages.
The focus of the ban is solar inverters, devices that convert solar energy into usable power and are often connected to the internet for remote maintenance or updates.
Experts warn that, in a worst-case scenario, such connections could be exploited by hackers or hostile actors to disrupt power supplies. According to data from the Lum research group, 61 percent of inverters imported into Europe in 2024 came from China.
For experts, control over just 10 gigawatts of energy connected to these inverters would be enough to cause serious disruptions to the European grid. These are all the reasons why Brussels is pursuing a tougher policy against Chinese imports that could endanger European security or industry.
After the European Commission introduced the Industrial Acceleration Act in March to support European production of green technologies, including batteries and electric vehicles, the Cybersecurity Act is also being revised to offer greater powers to restrict Chinese companies in critical infrastructure.