U.S. Allegedly Finds Rogue Communication Devices in Chinese-Made Solar Tech

The transition to clean energy without sufficient domestic manufacturing options has made much of America’s solar infrastructure reliant on parts made by Chinese firms. That has created a vulnerability that suddenly feels more real, as Reuters is reporting that experts have discovered hidden communications equipment in various Chinese-manufactured solar energy parts. The report cites US energy officials and warns that comms devices—including cellular radios—have been found in solar inverters, which are used to connect solar panels to electricity grids, and solar batteries acquired from multiple Chinese providers. Those components could theoretically be used to turn off inverters remotely and destabilize the energy grid or potentially cause blackouts, according to the experts. In fact, Reuters reported that in November, some solar power inverters in the US were disabled from China, though the actual impact of that event was not clear. Communications devices in these pieces of technolo ... Read full article.