The ban, which sources say is being drafted by the Federal Communications Commission, may take effect as early as this year, and follows actions in Europe to restrict funding for projects that use inverters from “high-risk” suppliers.
Officials in the Trump administration are reportedly drafting a ban on solar inverters from Chinese companies, according to a report by Reuters citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the plans.
The proposed restrictions, which are being drafted by the Federal Communications Commission, would block the use of Chinese-manufactured inverters in energy projects within the United States, and could be published as early as this year.
Sources said the measure is being developed in response to growing cybersecurity concerns, as policymakers seek to protect the nation’s critical power grid and renewable energy infrastructure from potential foreign interference.
In response to requests for comment, the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C. told Reuters it “firmly opposes the overstretching of the concept of national security and its unjustified suppression of Chinese companies.” The embassy also called for “a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment” for Chinese businesses.
