Rogue Communication Devices Found in Chinese Solar Power Inverters

The rogue components provide additional, undocumented communication channels that could allow firewalls to be circumvented remotely.
Rogue Communication Devices Found in Chinese Solar Power Inverters
Solar panels are arrayed on Earth Day in Northfield, Mass., on April 22, 2022. Brian Snyder/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:
0:00

LONDON—U.S. energy officials are reassessing the risk posed by Chinese-made devices that play a critical role in renewable energy infrastructure after unexplained communication equipment was found inside some of them, two people familiar with the matter said.

Power inverters, which are predominantly produced in China, are used throughout the world to connect solar panels and wind turbines to electricity grids. They are also found in batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicle chargers.