Experts are warning that Europe's heavy reliance on Chinese green technology is reaching a critical point, posing "serious" risks to both economic stability and national security.

 

 Reliance on Chinese green tech poses ‘serious’ risk for Europe, experts say

Experts are warning that Europe's heavy reliance on Chinese green technology is reaching a critical point, posing "serious" risks to both economic stability and national security. A report co-authored by Michael Collins, former deputy head of national security strategy at the UK Cabinet Office, suggests Europe is "sleepwalking" into a dangerous dependency on Chinese low-carbon technology.

 

Core Risks Identified

The primary concerns revolve around three key areas of vulnerability:

National Security & Cyber Threats: Experts highlight the risk of Chinese-manufactured components, particularly solar inverters, containing "kill switches" or backdoors. These could allow remote access to disable power capacity or trigger surges, potentially causing grid failures like the April 2025 blackout in Spain.

Economic Competitiveness: China currently supplies roughly 98% of the EU's solar panels. This dominance has already contributed to the collapse of Europe's domestic solar manufacturing base and now threatens its wind and electric vehicle (EV) sectors.

Geopolitical Coercion: Over-reliance creates "weaponised dependencies". China has already used export restrictions on critical minerals like gallium and germanium to frustrate Western supply chains. There is a concern that Europe may eventually feel pressured to choose between its climate goals and its ability to oppose Chinese geopolitical actions, such as those in the South China Sea.

 

Sector-Specific Impacts

Sector          Level of Dependence/Risk

Solar Energy          Extremely high; China accounts for 98% of EU imports.

Wind Power           Growing concern; Chinese manufacturers are increasingly entering the European offshore market with state-subsidized lower prices.

Green Hydrogen  Emerging risk; EU industry leaders warn that without "Made in Europe" requirements, the nascent hydrogen sector could follow the path of the solar industry.

Electric Vehicles High; The sector reportedly lost over 100,000 jobs in 2024–2025 due to Chinese competition.

European Response

The EU and individual member states are attempting to "de-risk" by:

Industrial Policy: Proposing laws like the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) to impose local-manufacturing requirements, though this has drawn threats of retaliation from Beijing.

Public Procurement: Calls are increasing for "Made in Europe" requirements for critical energy infrastructure to exclude high-risk vendors.

Diversification: Governments are being urged to source critical minerals and components from a wider range of international partners to avoid being "tangled" in potential trade wars between the US and China.

 

China has criticized these warnings as "politicizing" cybersecurity issues and has urged the EU to maintain open cooperation rather than viewing China as an "imaginary enemy".