Danger from China: Suspicious modules discovered in inverters!

Danger from China: Suspicious modules discovered in inverters!

Worrying discoveries have been made in the USA regarding Chinese inverters for photovoltaic systems. Undocumented radio modules have been discovered in these devices that could potentially be used to disrupt or even disable power grids. This problem could also affect Europe's energy infrastructure, posing significant security risks. The US Energy Agency has announced that it will reassess the risk of Chinese-made inverters because, in a worst-case scenario, unauthorized communication devices could lead to a blackout. Inverters are essential for connecting solar panels and wind turbines to power grids. They are also used in batteries, heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers.

Firewalls in the USA are intended to prevent direct communication with China, but the discovered radio modules enable additional communication channels. US experts have already found unauthorized devices in some of the Chinese solar inverters. Although the US government has not yet publicly confirmed these findings, there are growing national security concerns about them. In Austria, many photovoltaic systems are equipped with inverters from the manufacturer Huawei, which had a market share of 29 percent in 2022. Huawei withdrew from the US market in 2019, but remains active in Europe.

Risks for the European electricity grid

A new study from Solarpower Europe highlights the safety risks that inverters can pose in Europe. These devices pose a potential security risk to power grids. The major blackouts in Spain and Portugal recently highlighted the vulnerability of Europe's power grid, although officials have ruled out a cyberattack as the cause. However, the exact cause remains unclear.

The study shows that a single manipulation of 3 gigawatts of inverter capacity could be enough to disrupt the European grid. China dominates the global inverter market and suppliers there control a significant share of installed capacity in Europe. The largest provider, Huawei, has at least 114 gigawatts of installed inverter capacity in Europe. Six other Chinese manufacturers each have more than 5 gigawatts, meaning the critical 3 gigawatts can be reached quickly.

Threats from a lack of transparency

A main concern is the lack of transparency in the firmware and software updates of Chinese inverters. Many internal processes are proprietary and therefore difficult to independently verify. This poses the risk of “backdoors”, i.e. hidden access options, through which European operators may not be able to react to security gaps in a timely manner. The lack of insight into software security makes it difficult to implement effective protection measures.

With a massive spread of Chinese products in the European market, the risks are potentially serious. Providers such as Sungrow and Huawei have gained significant market shares through aggressive pricing strategies. The large number of installed inverters using similar technologies could lead to a synchronized outage, which could have serious consequences for the stability of the European electricity grid. To address this challenge, experts are calling for existing cybersecurity laws to be adapted and new rules to be introduced that leave control of critical solar systems to EU states or equivalent countries.

The situation highlights the urgent need to take security risks posed by Chinese inverters in Europe seriously and take appropriate measures. Although many PV systems in Europe already rely on this technology, the potential threats posed by inadequate safety standards and opaque manufacturing processes should not be underestimated.

For more information on this topic, read the reports on vol.at, ingenieur.de and energy-experts.org.