Dependence on Chinese green technology is making European countries vulnerable to national security risks including cyber attacks, trade restrictions and espionage, new research warns.
A report co-authored by Michael Collins, a former deputy head of national security strategy in the UK Cabinet Office, said European governments were failing to fully account for such risks as they roll out Chinese green tech in a bid to secure energy supplies and address climate change.
After the Iran war triggered the second energy shock in just five years, many European politicians, including EU energy commissioner Dan Jørgensen, have argued that renewables are more secure than fossil fuels because they are not subject to the same price volatility and supply-chain disruptions.