The UK government has said that wind turbines from the Chinese company Ming Yang, one of the largest in the world in this sector, pose a national security risk: consequently, it will not support their use in offshore wind farms, at sea. Ming Yang devices are also present in Italy and the company collaborates on several projects in Apulia and Sicily with Renexia, a renewable energy company controlled by the Toto group.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT (AND OTHERS) AGAINST MING YANG
It is not clear exactly what the national security risks associated with the use of Ming Yang wind turbines are. The British government was vague: it stated that, following a “careful assessment,” it cannot endorse the use of Ming Yang turbines “in the UK’s offshore wind projects.” A government spokesperson added that “we will always act to protect our national security and are committed to strengthening and prioritizing resilient and sustainable offshore wind supply chains.”
Ming Yang is a private, non-state company, but the influence of the Chinese Communist Party on businesses is still very strong. The German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies, in a report commissioned by the German Ministry of Defense, already considered the company a national security risk. The document explained that China could use its wind generators as a means of economic pressure (deliberately slowing down the development of energy projects), as a weapon (remotely disabling plants to impact a country’s electricity generation), or as a spying tool (through the collection of sensitive data via turbine control software).
A FACTORY IN SCOTLAND
Last October Ming Yang announced a £1.5 billion investment to open a factory in Scotland, at the port of Ardersier, dedicated to the construction of turbines for offshore wind farms in the UK, the rest of Europe, and other markets. It is likely that this plant will no longer be built, given the British government’s position – which has faced pressure from the United States – towards the company.
MING YANG’S REACTION
Ming Yang said it was “disappointed” by the UK government’s decision not to allow the use of its “cutting-edge technology,” adding that it will continue to engage with authorities and could resume its projects if policies change.
Ming Yang’s turbines could have been useful for the development of a new technology for offshore wind, called floating, which is mentioned in Scotland’s industrial strategy: the region has an offshore wind development potential of 40 gigawatts, of which 25 GW is floating wind.
SCOTLAND PROTESTS AGAINST THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
The Scottish government, in fact, was in favor of Ming Yang’s investment at the port of Ardersier due to its positive impacts on employment. Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, stated that “national security is obviously important and must be respected, but it is regrettable that the UK government has not clearly explained what the problem with Ming Yang is. What is clear is that the Labour Party is already putting the Scottish oil & gas sector under strain, hindering investments and causing job losses.”
THE ROLE OF VESTAS
However, Danish company Vestas could take over from Ming Yang, as it is in talks with UK and Scottish authorities regarding a €250 million investment for an offshore wind turbine factory in Scotland. But the company has not yet made a decision, explaining that the investment will depend on the number of orders it receives for its generators and on government subsidies.
WHAT IS MING YANG DOING IN ITALY?
Ming Yang is already active in Italy and aims to increase its presence: for example, it is working together with Renexia on the construction of a €500 million wind turbine factory that will be built in Apulia, in Taranto.
Ming Yang had already supplied Renexia with ten turbines for the offshore wind farm “Beleolico” in Taranto, completed in 2022. The two companies also collaborate on the development of Med Wind, a floating wind farm in Sicily: equipped with 156 turbines for a capacity of 2.8 GW, it has been described as the largest plant of its kind in the Mediterranean Sea.
However, Taranto is an important military base for the Italian Navy. The German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies explained that Chinese companies could exploit turbine control software to extract data collected by the numerous radars present in the wind farms: this is a significant vulnerability, especially – indeed – if these plants are located near sensitive areas such as military bases.
