Can photovoltaic inverter manufacturers control it

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.

A recent study by DNV substantiates these concerns. As solar power becomes increasingly integral to Europe's clean energy goals and energy security, a major vulnerability looms: software-enabled remote access to PV inverters—the essential control units of solar power systems.

The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) has urged EU member states to restrict remote control capabilities of solar inverters sourced from “high-risk non-European manufacturers,” primarily targeting Chinese firms, over alleged cybersecurity vulnerabilities linked to grid integration and software updates.

Moreover, the inverters are interconnected in parallel with PV cells, facilitating power conversion in a singular-stage configuration. In the traditional structure of solar power plants, inverters and low-frequency transformers are utilized as an interface between PV panels and the AC grid for power transmission.

In the proposed model, by examining weather conditions and the amount of solar radiation during different hours of the day, a droop control has been presented for inverters to store reactive power in the specified grid.

The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) has issued a stark warning, highlighting a critical threat to Europe's energy autonomy stemming from the unregulated remote access capabilities of PV inverters produced by non-European, high-risk manufacturers—particularly those from China. A recent study by DNV substantiates these concerns.