German research has said that Chinese wind turbines could potentially allow Beijing to collect restricted data, delay projects, and even remotely shut down turbines.
The new report, prepared by the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies and commissioned by German defence minister Boris Pistorius, specifically examined the Waterkant offshore wind farm.
The 270MW project, being developed by German asset manager Luxcara, signed a deal in 2024 to use sixteen 18.5MW turbines supplied by Mingyang Smart Energy – some of the biggest set to be installed in the North Sea.
Luxcara signed up Havfram to install the turbines, with work scheduled to take place in spring 2028.
“When using systems or components from Chinese manufacturers… given the political situation, it can even be assumed that such a slowdown or even disruption would be deliberately used by China as a means of political pressure or even as an instrument of economic warfare,” the report noted.
Similar concerns have been raised in the UK as Mingyang makes plans to construct a factory in Scotland, with Sir Richard Dearlove – head of MI6 from 1999-2004 – saying that the use of Chinese renewable infrastructure could make the UK vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Likewise, MP for Glasgow South Stewart McDonald, also remarked that plans for a Mingyang factory in Scotland were a security risk in May last year.
He noted that: “Given widely shared concerns about the involvement of hostile states such as China in the UK’s critical energy infrastructure, does [prime minister Rishi Sunak] not agree that now is the time for this project to be paused?”
An aversion to Mingyang turbines seems out of place when Chinese involvement in Europe’s renewable energy sector is already widespread.
China’s Dajin Heavy Industry delivered monopiles for the 882MW Moray West offshore wind farm, and is scheduled to work with Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard Heavy Industry (GWSHI) supply monopiles to the 1,050MW Inch Cape offshore wind farm.
In 2023 alone, China was responsible for manufacturing two-thirds of the world’s turbines – outcompeting European rivals by a significant margin.
Despite criticisms of the proposals, Scottish deputy first minister Kate Forbes has remained supportive of Chinese investment plans.
In an interview with the Financial Times in November 2024, Forbes remarked that she believed there was “room” for the development of a Mingyang factory and highlighted that the transformation required in Scotland’s supply chain needed to be “enormous”.
She nonetheless added that “due diligence” and “an element of caution” would be required when making a final decision on any plans and concluded that Scotland would work on a “case-by-case basis with any inward investor”.
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