Secret Devices in Chinese Solar Inverters Ignite U.S. Security Fears

Unexplained communication devices tucked inside Chinese-made solar power inverters have set off alarm bells in the U.S., raising fears about the security of critical energy infrastructure. These inverters, essential for linking solar panels and wind turbines to power grids, are predominantly produced in China and used globally in everything from batteries to electric vehicle chargers.

U.S. experts, tearing down equipment connected to grids, uncovered rogue cellular radios and other undocumented devices in some inverters and batteries over the past nine months. These components, not listed in product manuals, could bypass firewalls, allowing remote access that might destabilize grids or trigger blackouts. "It’s like finding a hidden backdoor in your house—you don’t know who has the key," one insider remarked.

Former NSA Director Mike Rogers warned that China sees value in planting vulnerabilities in Western infrastructure, potentially limiting our response options. The Chinese embassy in Washington dismissed the concerns as overblown, accusing the U.S. of smearing their achievements. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Energy emphasized the need for better transparency, like detailed software component inventories, to address these risks.

As tensions with China escalate, some U.S. utilities, like Florida Power & Light, are pivoting to non-Chinese suppliers. Globally, Huawei dominates the inverter market, but its ties to Chinese intelligence laws fuel distrust. In Europe, where Chinese inverters power over 200 gigawatts of solar capacity, experts warn that controlling even a fraction of this could disrupt entire grids. Lithuania’s already banning remote access to Chinese energy tech, and others may follow.

Last November, a mysterious shutdown of inverters in the U.S. underscored these fears, though details remain scarce. With renewable energy’s growing role, securing this infrastructure is no longer optional—it’s a race against time.