Latest news with #DecouplingfromForeignAdversarialBatteryDependenceAct
Epoch Times
25-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Solar Tech: China's Trojan Horse
Commentary Some of China's PV Tech, a solar trade publication, The risk is real—and global. In November, some inverters in the United States were, in fact, disabled from China. China is the world's largest exporter of power inverters, which connect renewable energy sources to electric power grids. The inverters are considered the 'brains' of devices such as solar panels, wind turbines, heat pumps, and electric vehicle chargers. The rogue devices are 'undocumented communication channels that could allow firewalls to be circumvented remotely, with potentially catastrophic consequences,' according to the sources cited by Reuters. Malicious tampering of them in a coordinated manner poses the risk of widespread blackouts and damage across the U.S. and European electric grids. At the whim of a dictator in Beijing, or for something more serious like a war over Taiwan, Chinese regime hackers could use the rogue devices to skirt cybersecurity firewalls, communicate back to China, and take down larger portions of U.S. and allied electrical grids. 'Beijing blackouts' could be simultaneous and widespread. This would make it difficult for the United States and allies to mount the kind of rapid defense necessary to defend far-flung territories. The regime could also use the threat of hacking the grid for blackmail against the U.S. and European governments. Kaupo Rosin, Estonia's chief of intelligence, said the country risks blackmail by China, unless China's technology is banned in key parts of the economy, including solar inverters. The U.S. and allies have therefore been increasingly careful about allowing the purchase of utility-scale Chinese electronics. But even home solar inverters are a risk. If just 1 percent of Europe's 338 gigawatts of installed solar power capacity were hacked by the regime in Beijing, widespread and prolonged blackouts could result. That shouldn't be hard for the regime to do, as about 200 GW, or almost 60 percent, of Europe's solar capacity is linked to inverters manufactured in China. The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) was quoted in PV Tech saying that the security risk from China's inverters is 'systemic.' The ESMC called on the European Commission to investigate the 'risk potential for sabotage and espionage' of high-risk manufacturers from China. PV Tech interviewed a leading European inverter manufacturer who said that 'it's very clear inverter companies could switch off the grid if they want to.' He noted that 'Probably 99% of people would have said 'No, there's no risk [of Russia restricting gas supply to Europe after the Ukraine invasion].' But it did. We saw it. And I see the same risk here.' The United States has worked hard to reduce vulnerabilities to China's telecom and semiconductor technologies, as well as the products of forced labor. However, similar U.S. laws to mitigate the risk from inverters are absent. A new U.S. bill, called the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, would at least ban the Department of Homeland Security from buying some Chinese batteries. The bill targets six companies that are allegedly closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They are BYD Company, Contemporary Amperex Technology Company, Envision Energy, EVE Energy Company, Gotion High-tech Company, and Hithium Energy Storage Technology Company. That ban would start in October 2027. Huawei, Ginlong Solis, and Sungrow are also allegedly linked to the CCP and export large numbers of converters. Huawei has alleged links to Chinese But the bill has been sitting in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs since March 11. And it only applies to the Department of Homeland Security. Why not make its applicability general? And why limit the ban to just six companies from China? We know from other whack-a-mole laws that they typically fail. Company names and addresses in China can and will be changed in response, with no change to the underlying technology or manufacturing processes. Bans on China's technologies in U.S. energy grids, and elsewhere in the United States, should be as general as possible. Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld famously China's solar inverter Trojan horse demonstrates that it's time for our leaders in Washington to respond with greater alacrity and foresight, and in more general ways, to protect the United States of America from the CCP threat. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chinese solar tech poses 'chilling' threat to US electric grid, lawmakers warn
The reported discovery of "rogue communication devices" in Chinese-exported solar inverters spurred new scrutiny of Chinese imports and of the security of the domestic electric grid. In a blue state known for backing solar and other green energy alternatives, a top state Republican warned that "the time to act is now" to stop incursions by a malign foreign actor. "The recent discovery of rogue communication devices underscores a chilling reality: our critical infrastructure is vulnerable, and New Jersey's leadership is asleep at the wheel," said state Sen. Doug Steinhardt, R-Belvidere. Steinhardt, a former chair of the state GOP, said allowing "hostile foreign governments" to potentially penetrate U.S. energy networks is a national security writ large. Trump Energy Chief Recounts Evolution Of Us Environs Over 56 Earth Days: A Handily-energized Society Works In New Jersey's case, three bills – all sponsored by Steinhardt – seek to blunt this new threat, including one banning the state from companies owned by or based out of certain foreign countries. Read On The Fox News App Another bill in the Garden State would somewhat mirror Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' policy against Chinese land ownership near protected facilities. Such policies also grew out of CCP-linked purchases of land in the Sunshine State and across the country, including another controversial 380,000-acre purchase in North Dakota near the Grand Forks Air Force Base. A Reuters report last week discovered solar power inverters were found to have "rogue communication devices not listed in product documents" within the modules after being "stripped-down" by technologists. Inverters, of which a majority are imported, connect solar panels and wind installations to electric grids by converting DC power to AC power. While solar tech does typically have firewalls against outside incursion, the findings raised concern, according to Reuters. Energy Chief Envisions Us Nuclear Renaissance, Restoring Pit Production, Localizing Nuke Power "We cannot afford to let our energy systems, our food supply, or any strategic assets fall into the hands of those who wish us harm – the time to act is now," Steinhardt said in a statement. Citing national security concerns, a bipartisan pair of senators introduced the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, which would prohibit the government from buying batteries from some foreign sources over similar concerns. "Our national security should not require reliance on components made by adversaries like China," Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said in drafting the bill with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. "This bipartisan legislation will help safeguard both our supply chains and our national security by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from purchasing Chinese batteries for the devices and technology that keep Americans safe." In comments to Fox News Digital on Monday, Scott called it "terrifying" the CCP could have any control over the U.S. grid. "Communist China is an adversary, led by a ruthless, authoritarian regime that wants to undermine our national security, spy on our citizens, steal our technology, and destroy our economy," Scott said. "We cannot allow this regime to have access to the very systems and resources families and businesses depend on. That's why I've introduced legislation to cut off our dependence on Chinese-made batteries that serve as Trojan horses for their surveillance state, and I'm bringing back the Protect American Power Infrastructure Act to slam the door shut on any Chinese influence over our electric grid." Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Phil Murphy as well as the Energy Department for article source: Chinese solar tech poses 'chilling' threat to US electric grid, lawmakers warn
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Business Standard
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Hidden communication devices found in Chinese power inverters in US
US energy officials are re-evaluating security risks associated with Chinese-made devices that play an essential role in renewable energy infrastructure after discovering unexplained communication equipment within some components, according to a report by Reuters. Security experts examining grid-connected equipment have discovered unauthorised communication devices that are not documented in product specifications inside some Chinese solar power inverters. Undocumented components found in power inverters Power inverters, predominantly manufactured in China and used globally to connect solar panels and wind turbines to power grids, as well as in batteries, heat pumps and EV chargers, are under scrutiny. While inverters are designed with remote access capabilities for updates and maintenance, utility companies typically implement firewalls to block direct communication with China. Also Read Undocumented communication components, including cellular radios, have also been identified in batteries from several Chinese suppliers in the past nine months. The exact number of solar inverters and batteries examined remains unclear, according to the report by Reuters. These undisclosed components could potentially create backdoor communication channels that bypass firewalls remotely, with potentially devastating effects. Mike Rogers, former director of the National Security Agency (NSA), stated that the Chinese could be hoping that the extensive use of inverters limits the options that the West has to deal with the security issue. "We know that China believes there is value in placing at least some elements of our core infrastructure at risk of destruction or disruption." A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington criticised the broad use of national security as a justification to target China. "We oppose the generalisation of the concept of national security, distorting and smearing China's infrastructure achievements," the spokesperson said. The US government has not publicly acknowledged the findings. The US Department of Energy (DOE) stated that it regularly evaluates risks linked to emerging technologies. "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 spokesperson said. Amid rising US-China tensions, the US and other nations are re-evaluating China's involvement in critical infrastructure due to fears of possible security risks, according to two former government officials. In February, two US Senators introduced the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, which would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from buying batteries from certain Chinese companies starting in October 2027, citing national security risks. The bill, referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on 11 March, is not yet law and targets six Chinese firms — CATL, BYD, Envision Energy, EVE Energy, Hithium and Gotion High-tech — allegedly linked to the Chinese Communist Party.
