U.S. energy officials are quietly exploring a potentially major national security threat: unrecorded communication devices built into Chinese-made inverters and batteries that supply America’s renewable energy infrastructure. These inverters, which are necessary for connecting solar panels and wind turbines to the grid, are primarily made in China, and they usually provide remote access for maintenance. However, the recent findings show that some contain unauthorized components, like the hidden cellular radios that can bypass firewalls and control the devices from a distance abroad.
Experts warn that these rogue devices may allow malicious actors to interfere with, or even shut down, important elements of the power grid. “There is an in-built way to physically destroy the grid,” said one source involved in equipment analysis. Although the presence of the devices has not been formally recognized, U.S. agencies are re-evaluating the vulnerabilities of the supply chain in light of the increasing tensions with China.
Chinese inverters from top manufacturers have taken over the world’s markets; Huawei, Sungrow, and Ginlong Solis are among them. Huawei accounted for 29% of the inverters that were sold in the world in 2022. While it left the U.S. market in 2019, its equipment is used in many places. European utilities are also reconsidering dependence on Chinese parts because of fears of mass outages that could be initiated remotely.
The U.S. Department of Energy has highlighted the need for transparency from manufacturers and is doing its best to adopt tools such as software bill of materials to reveal hidden functionalities. At the same time, proposed legislation strives to eliminate dependence on Chinese energy technology altogether.
As solar and battery installations expand around the world, cybersecurity specialists call for a change in the way nations evaluate risks, even at the household level. The fear is no longer theoretical anymore. A reported remote shutdown of inverters emanating from China shook the industry in November 2024. Western countries are now scrambling to shore up their energy systems before the next “ghost in the machine” hits.
