China-Europe solar power station inverter

Are solar inverters a threat to Europe's energy sovereignty?

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.

Are Chinese inverters a threat to Europe's remote infrastructure?

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.”

How big is the European solar inverter market?

The European solar inverter market is set to grow from USD 2.85 billion in 2024 to USD 3.66 billion by 2029, with a growth rate of 5.06% annually. This growth is driven by government incentives, investments in solar energy, and a focus on reducing carbon emissions. Germany is the largest market, followed by the UK and France.

Will Lithuania ban Chinese inverters from connecting to European grids?

It has proposed a “Cybersecurity Toolkit” to assess manufacturer risks and called for EU-wide legislation modeled on Lithuania’s 2023 ban, which prohibits Chinese inverters from connecting to European grids.