The Trump administration is working on a ban on imports of foreign inverters, which connect solar projects and batteries to the grid, due to concerns that China could use them to disrupt power supplies. This move is part of a broader effort to address technology threats posed by China.
Background
The US Federal Communications Commission is drafting the rule, which would apply to new foreign models of inverters and could be published as early as this year. The decision to revive the effort was partly spurred by the European Commission’s decision in May to ban Chinese-made inverters from publicly funded energy projects.
China is the world’s largest maker of inverters, with companies like Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei leading the market. The US has already imposed sanctions on Huawei due to national security concerns and allegations of intellectual property theft.
Implications
The proposed ban could signal more US-European alignment on China, following the Group of Seven leaders’ agreement to work together to cut their reliance on China for critical minerals. The US Department of Defense is already barred from procuring solar photovoltaic cells, modules, or inverters manufactured by a foreign entity of concern, which includes Chinese companies.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
