China-Europe Power Photovoltaic Inverter

The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) today issued a clear and urgent warning: Europe's energy sovereignty is at serious risk due to the unregulated and remote control capabilities of PV inverters from high-risk, non-European manufacturers – most notably from China. Study by DNV provides the evidence.

In 2023, 78% of all inverters installed in Europe came from Chinese vendors, with the overwhelming majority being made by Huawei and SunGrow, according to DNV, a risk consultancy. The report was commissioned by SolarPower Europe, an industry advocacy group.

ESMC Secretary-General Christoph Podewils warned that Chinese-made inverters, which account for 70% of new European installations in 2023 (with Huawei and Sungrow as dominant suppliers), now power over 200 GW of capacity—equivalent to “more than 200 nuclear plants”—stripping the continent of “critical remote infrastructure oversight.”

The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) has issued a stark warning, highlighting a critical threat to Europe's energy autonomy stemming from the unregulated remote access capabilities of PV inverters produced by non-European, high-risk manufacturers—particularly those from China. A recent study by DNV substantiates these concerns.

It is one of six Chinese vendors that collectively control over 219 GW. Given that Spain's grid collapsed after a 2.2 GW drop, these vendors could remotely shut down Europe's grid. Reports of rogue communication devices in Chinese inverters, allowing them to bypass firewalls, further highlight the need for action.

The report was commissioned by SolarPower Europe, an industry advocacy group. This market dominance can likely be explained by a combination of China's large manufacturing capacity and the comparatively lower prices of Chinese inverters compared to European ones.