The United States’ reported plan to ban foreign-made inverters – a move likely aimed at curbing reliance on China – would be difficult to implement and harmful to local industry, Chinese industry insiders have warned.
Washington is working on a plan to ban foreign inverters – a vital component used in renewable power systems – over national security concerns, Reuters reported on Tuesday, with a draft potentially set to be published by the end of the year.
China dominates the global market for inverters, and US officials are reportedly concerned about the potential for Beijing to disrupt American power supplies. The European Union banned the use of inverters from “high-risk” suppliers in all EU-funded projects earlier this year.
But phasing out Chinese inverters will not be easy, according to the Chinese inverter giant Sungrow.
It took China 20 years to develop its industrial chain for the product, and it could take the United States five years to build out its own local supply chain, the firm warned in a statement released on Thursday.
“US domestic brands hold around 10 per cent market share. Building a complete industrial chain cannot be achieved overnight,” it added.