Mysterious energy parts spark concerns in Denmark and the US
The organization Green Power Denmark has reported finding mysterious components in parts imported from abroad for energy infrastructure. Similar incidents involving inverters imported from China for solar farms have also been noted in the United States.
Joergen Christensen, the technical director of Green Power Denmark, did not reveal the country of origin of the suspicious parts found in Denmark. He explained that he could not provide such information due to the ongoing investigation.
This is highly concerning. It is important that an investigation is underway, admitted Christensen, as quoted by the "Berlingske" newspaper.
Because of this discovery, the Danish organization's cooperation with the foreign supplier has been suspended until the issue is resolved.
Suspicious elements in components from China
Christensen noted that Danish legislation does not mandate the review of imported critical infrastructure components for potential sabotage threats. However, many companies have outsourced this responsibility to external partners.
The "Berlingske" newspaper summarized that a growing share of Denmark's energy is derived from solar panels. In the event of a failure, "matters may unfold as they did at the end of April in Southern Europe, where a blackout occurred."
Reuters explained that inverters, mainly produced in China, are used globally to connect solar panels and wind turbines to the energy grid. They are also used in batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicle chargers.
As reported by the Reuters agency last week, transmitters were discovered during inspections of critical infrastructure facilities in the US. According to two anonymous government sources, such devices can destabilize the power grid and might even cause a power outage.
