Chinese Made Solar Power Inverters Connected To US Power
In a plot twist worthy of a techno-thriller, U.S. energy officials have uncovered rogue communication devices embedded within Chinese-manufactured solar power inverters.
Research shared exclusively with The Washington Post reveals how deeply dependent U.S. power companies are on Chinese inverters. These devices are used by large solar installations to help transform energy harnessed from the sun into a current that is compatible with the power grid.
Research from energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie found that about 78% of all solar inverters are made in China. The Center for a Prosperous America estimates that Chinese companies account for 39% of the U.S. solar module capacity. These statistics highlight just how deeply embedded Chinese technology has become in America's clean energy grid.
However, rogue communication devices not listed in product documents have been found in some Chinese solar power inverters by U.S experts who strip down equipment hooked up to grids to check for security issues, the two people said.
If not, China will continue to evade state-specific bans, with new vulnerabilities capable of emerging from wherever inverters are produced next. Undocumented radios found in Chinese-made solar inverters pose a threat to U.S. energy infrastructure and security, enabling disruption of critical systems.
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