The planned installation of 16 Chinese wind turbines off the German coast should be prevented on the grounds of public safety, business daily Handelsblatt reported based on an advisory paper from the German Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (GIDS).
The analysis, commissioned by the defence ministry, warned of potential blackmail and said all legal options must be used to prevent plans to build the wind farm off the coast of Borkum in northwestern Germany. Hamburg-based asset manager Luxcara awarded the contract to a Chinese manufacturer.
"Unlike millions of solar panels, which today come almost exclusively from China, a single offshore wind farm with the capacity of an entire power plant in a strategically significant location is a much greater target for manipulation of the energy supply – and also for espionage," the business daily reported. The warning comes as wind farm operators increasingly turn to Chinese manufacturers amid tightening global supply chains.
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GIDS warned of possible espionage through sensors, which could potentially track naval ships, submarines and aircraft. It also added that it could not be ruled out that the critical infrastructure would be unavailable in the event of a crisis or conflict. The European Commission has also expressed concerns over security and a growing dependence on China.
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