cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/51621587
The European Commission has decided to restrict EU funding, including through the European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund, for solar, wind, and energy storage projects using inverters from so-called high-risk countries, namely China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, citing cybersecurity risks.
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For projects outside the EU and not connected, or planned to be connected, to the EU grid, inverters from high-risk suppliers should be phased out by 15 April 2027. Technologies covered include inverters across all renewable energy applications. The rules also apply globally to companies owned or controlled by those countries.
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According to [EU] documents, the Commission notes “Energy storage systems / Power Conversion Systems (PCS) are explicitly included,” which places EU-backed battery energy storage projects on notice, particularly those relying on integrated PCS supply from Chinese and other suppliers.
In terms of sourcing, many batteries that are supplied from Asian sources include all-in-one options that package the batteries and cells with the PCS. For those projects that are now facing bans on inverters, sourcing lists may be constrained or require changes.
Christoph Podewils, Secretary General of the European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC), confirmed to ESS News that the decision doesn’t have exemptions based on power class.
“It’s really a strict regulation, without many loopholes… It also concerns inverters supplied from entities under control of the high-risk countries, so for instance, a company producing, in Europe, inverters belonging to a Chinese entity.”
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