Top European wind turbine maker calls ‘non-western’ rivals a security threat

{"text":[[{"start":11.3,"text":"The boss of one of Europe’s biggest wind turbine makers has called for “non-western” rivals to be blocked from selling in the EU in a warning about the perceived threat posed by Chinese technology to the bloc’s security and industrial future."}],[{"start":25.5,"text":"José Luis Blanco, chief executive of Hamburg-based Nordex, said the EU had not gone far enough with proposed regulations requiring projects that receive public support to use equipment made in the bloc and exclude “high-risk” suppliers. Many renewables projects fell outside the rules, he said."}],[{"start":45.5,"text":"“We believe the western-origin principle should therefore apply to all new wind capacity connecting to European grids, not only publicly supported projects,” Blanco told the FT, adding that “non-western” turbine makers should be designated as high risk under cyber security rules."}],[{"start":63.45,"text":"With Chinese companies the only big turbine makers outside the US and Europe, his call marked the latest sign of concern about reliance on the nation’s technology, whose presence in the telecommunications and automotive sectors has already sparked alarm."}],[{"start":77.4,"text":"“It’s about supply chain independence and technology independence,” said Blanco. “The key issue is not where servers are located, but who controls the software and access to the systems.” "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":89.25,"text":"China’s turbine suppliers have been taking market share from their US and European rivals by offering lower-cost products and faster delivery, prompting accusations that they receive unfair state support."}],[{"start":100.7,"text":"José Manuel Entrecanales, chief executive of Nordex’s largest shareholder, the Spain-based conglomerate Acciona, said during the same interview: “[With] critical infrastructure, you have to be aware that accepting the competition of not-liberal-democracy-type players is a dangerous game.” "}],[{"start":119.45,"text":"Chinese manufacturers’ strength in renewable energy supply chains has led to previous calls for protectionist measures across Europe, with the UK recently blocking China-based Ming Yang in its offshore wind sector on national security risk grounds."}],[{"start":134.6,"text":"The EU this month said it would block public funding for Chinese inverters, a crucial technology used to control solar panels and wind turbines, with a spokesperson citing a “pressing” threat to critical infrastructure. Earlier this year, it launched a probe into turbine maker Goldwind over potential unfair subsidies."}],[{"start":153.9,"text":"But increased protectionism is likely to raise questions about the bloc’s commitment to competition. It could make Europe’s green energy projects more expensive, while provoking retaliation from China, which supplies hardware to Nordex and other turbine makers in the region."}],[{"start":168.8,"text":"The complaints come even as European companies such as Nordex, Vestas and Siemens Gamesa dominate the regional market with more than 90 per cent of sales. Nordex last year made almost 84 per cent of its €7.5bn revenue in Europe. "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":184.15,"text":"The groups have been facing increased competition from rivals such as Goldwind and Windey, backed by Beijing, and privately owned Ming Yang. That has triggered fears in Europe of a repeat of the disappearance of most of its solar panel manufacturing sector, which left the bloc reliant on imports.  "}],[{"start":202.85,"text":"Entrecanales said: “We’ve probably lost the race in solar PV, we are probably close to losing the race or [are] very far behind in storage.” "}],[{"start":212.35,"text":"Wind was probably the only big climate change technology in which Europe was “racing with some capability” of being competitive, he added."}],[{"start":221.04999999999998,"text":"The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU said a “discriminatory approach” would undermine fair competition and the principles underpinning the region’s single market."}],[{"start":231.14999999999998,"text":"Suppliers should be judged on “objective criteria such as safety, quality and performance — rather than being excluded on the basis of nationality or ownership”, it added. "}],[{"start":241.7,"text":"The European Commission said it had already taken “important steps” to improve cyber security in wind turbines and that “high-risk suppliers” would be excluded from auctions for renewable energy projects when proposed legislation comes into effect."}],[{"start":264.15,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1779787560_5724.mp3"}