A German government ministry has expressed concerns over the delivery of Chinese wind turbines for an offshore project in the German North Sea. The ministry views potential security risks associated with untrustworthy manufacturers as “very serious”, a spokesperson told the Handelsblatt newspaper. This applies particularly to the energy sector, which is of great significance for the country’s supply security.
The ministry has suggested a revision of the law on the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI law) to make it possible to prohibit critical components from untrustworthy manufacturers, not just in the telecommunications sector, but also in the energy sector. Although the law already provides for the possibility of prohibiting such components, it has not been applied in the energy sector so far.
The concerns arise from a specific project, in which 16 wind turbines from the Chinese manufacturer Mingyang are to be installed off the coast of Borkum. An analysis by the German Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies, a think tank of the German military, as reported by the Handelsblatt, warns of serious risks in connection with the project, including political influence, espionage through sensors, access to security protocols of crucial infrastructure and disruption of the energy supply. Experts at the institute therefore recommend preventing the use of Chinese wind turbines.