Concerns are rising about a £60m investment from China in wind farms, with experts warning of potential security risks for the UK.
Inverness: So, there’s this big plan from Mingyang Smart Energy, China’s top offshore wind turbine maker. They want to set up a factory in the Inverness area to produce turbine blades. This could mean hundreds of new jobs, which sounds great, right?
But here’s the catch. Another Chinese company, Orient Cable, is also looking to start operations in Scotland by 2026. They deal with the subsea cables that connect offshore wind farms to the grid.
Now, defense experts are getting a bit jittery. They worry that China might use this equipment to mess with the UK’s energy supplies if things go south diplomatically.
One MP, Ms. Jardine, pointed out how Russia used its gas supplies to create chaos in Europe during the Ukraine crisis. She’s not against working with China for jobs, but she wants to make sure we have control over the equipment.
She’s saying that if the Scottish Government pushes ahead with these projects, there need to be safeguards. Like, the equipment should only be operable locally, so China can’t just switch it off from afar.
Ms. Jardine also reminded everyone about the previous ban on Huawei from the UK’s 5G networks due to security worries. She’s concerned that without proper measures, we could be handing over our energy security to China.
She’s calling for the UK Government to be on high alert about these security issues and to communicate with the Scottish Government about it. After all, it’s the UK Government’s job to keep an eye on energy projects.
Analysts are also worried that the Chinese Communist Party could instruct a turbine company to disrupt operations through software that remains under their control after installation.
This factory would be Mingyang’s first outside China, and it’s set to receive £30 million from Scottish Enterprise over three years. Orient Cable is in line for £27 million starting next year.
Labour is facing some heat for cozying up to China for investment in renewables, with critics saying it could expose Britain to security risks.
A former MI6 chief, Sir Richard Dearlove, has warned against relying on China for energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, a UK Government spokesperson reassured that investments in the energy sector are closely scrutinized for national security.
They’re working on building supply chains for clean energy and creating jobs across Britain. The Scottish Government is also involved, ensuring that any foreign investment in critical infrastructure is carefully considered.
