EU Excludes Chinese-Made Power Conditioners From Policy Support, Citing Risk of Remote Shutdown via Hidden Communication Modules; China Objects
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The European Commission decided by August 2026 to exclude solar power, wind power, and battery storage projects that use power conditioners (inverters) made in "high-risk" countries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, from funding support by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF). According to reports by Nikkei BP and other outlets, overseas investigations and reporting have found that some Chinese-made solar inverters and battery storage systems contain unidentified communication modules capable of bypassing standard firewalls, raising concerns that they could enable forced remote shutdowns and destabilize power grids, potentially triggering large-scale blackouts.
The Chinese government has strongly objected to the measure, reportedly calling it "unfair discrimination with no evidence" and urging that "energy should not be used as a political tool." The European Commission's proposed Industrial Ambition Act (IAA), announced in March 2026 to strengthen EU industrial competitiveness, also emphasizes EU-made products as a condition for purchase subsidies and public procurement support for electric vehicles, solar panels, and batteries, positioning the latest measure within this broader trend of excluding Chinese products.
Current status: Whether any cases of the remote shutdown function actually being misused have been confirmed, and whether similar regulatory moves are being considered in other regions, including Japan, remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.