{"id":368655,"date":"2025-03-04T17:19:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T16:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=368655"},"modified":"2025-03-04T17:19:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T16:19:19","slug":"german-military-report-finds-that-chinese-wind-turbines-are-a-blackmail-and-security-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=368655","title":{"rendered":"German military report finds that Chinese wind turbines are a blackmail and security risk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From JoNova<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jo Nova<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing like a few belligerent trade spats, and miscreant dragged anchors to ruin a brand\u2019s reputation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

After six separate incidents of underwater cables being sabotaged in the Baltic Sea, the German Defense Ministry is wondering if it is wise to buy Chinese wind turbines with all their electronic parts. A new report commissioned for the department not only suggests the government should restrict new turbines, but it also advises them to call a halt to an existing project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hypothetically, China might remotely shut down wind turbines at a key moment, creating crazy price spikes, and industrial havoc (although wind turbines seem quite good at that on their own). But seriously, if wind turbines got a bit more random, or a bit less efficient, would anyone know for sure? And if a market player had that information in advance, they could make out like a bandit \u2014 bidding at the right moment and collecting on all the price spikes. It would be just another way to bleed a country, raise electricity prices, and reduce its competitiveness. (But good for business back home, eh?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oddly, the Defense analysts seem to worry more that China might delay<\/em> projects on purpose, which sounds like an act of kindness to me. But if the electricity managers had already blown up the coal plants, then it might leave a vulnerable gigawatt gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some\u00a0thing<\/em>\u00a0has to charge the big batteries and pumped hydro, after all or they won\u2019t be there for the dinner time peak. Likewise, with the EVs.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Politico<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

China could blackmail Germany via wind turbines, report warns<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The report, which the German defense ministry commissioned, argues Beijing could purposefully delay projects, harvest sensitive data and remotely shut down turbines if given access to wind farms. It also advises the country to stop an existing wind project using Chinese turbines from going ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen using systems or components from Chinese manufacturers \u2026 given the political situation, it can even be assumed that such a slowdown or even disruption would be deliberately used by China as a means of political pressure or even as an instrument of economic warfare,\u201d reads the report, prepared last month by the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies think tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA destabilization of both the political system, the business model of German industry and social cohesion cannot therefore be ruled out due to a lack of or insufficient planning security in the energy sector,\u201d it adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they were also concerned China could harvest data from hundreds of radars and be able to spy on military training sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of the danger also comes from the access that manufacturers get to turbines, according to the study. Beijing\u2019s suppliers would have access to computer programs that control active turbines and collect data from hundreds of radars built into farms, it states \u2014 a significant issue given that wind produced a third<\/a> of Germany\u2019s electricity last year and a fifth<\/a> of the EU\u2019s power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In sum, the report argues, that would hand China \u201cconsiderable blackmail potential in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report warns that the \u201cfirst time use of Chinese wind turbines must be prevented\u201d on \u201cpublic safety\u201d grounds, since it risks creating a reliance on Beijing\u2019s expertise and giving it access to \u201cessential elements of German critical infrastructure\u201d near militarily relevant training areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Defence team also suspect the Chinese projects are being subsidized by China to beat out European competitors. It\u2019s almost a case of China-would-be-crazy if they weren\u2019t. The more renewables they supply, the more incapacitated and deindustrialized Europe gets, and the easier it is for the rest of China\u2019s factories to drive competitors out of business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of renewables as loss-leaders for a whole civilization.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After six separate incidents of underwater cables being sabotaged in the Baltic Sea, the German Defense Ministry is wondering if it is wise to buy Chinese wind turbines with all their electronic parts. A new report commissioned for the department not only suggests the government should restrict new turbines, but it also advises them to call a halt to an existing project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":368660,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818341,691833643,691818051,691833645,691833644,691818322],"class_list":["post-368655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-china","tag-computer-programs","tag-germany","tag-sensitive-data","tag-subsidized-projects","tag-wind-turbines","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0web_china-flag-wind-farm-sunset-sustainable_Credit_Allexxandar_shutterstock_1965005419_1600x900.jpg?fit=1600%2C900&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1xU3","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":414649,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=414649","url_meta":{"origin":368655,"position":0},"title":"Asbestos discovered in Chinese-made wind turbines","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/25\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"An urgent safety alert has been issued at wind farms across Australia after asbestos was discovered in Chinese-made wind turbines.","rel":"","context":"In \"asbestos\"","block_context":{"text":"asbestos","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=asbestos"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AQM1lxesy3_WQKys0FnfVFM8ZfOuxxWQRRR2HGsQkJFR8XSNb58kGhLAe2ZufXiaBbr3tc0WeNNcpxrUEjnIZgKlE5-JScy072SHXI3f_Gz1xPQLpsAAJd_XQQrhMGJn-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C771&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AQM1lxesy3_WQKys0FnfVFM8ZfOuxxWQRRR2HGsQkJFR8XSNb58kGhLAe2ZufXiaBbr3tc0WeNNcpxrUEjnIZgKlE5-JScy072SHXI3f_Gz1xPQLpsAAJd_XQQrhMGJn-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C771&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AQM1lxesy3_WQKys0FnfVFM8ZfOuxxWQRRR2HGsQkJFR8XSNb58kGhLAe2ZufXiaBbr3tc0WeNNcpxrUEjnIZgKlE5-JScy072SHXI3f_Gz1xPQLpsAAJd_XQQrhMGJn-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C771&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AQM1lxesy3_WQKys0FnfVFM8ZfOuxxWQRRR2HGsQkJFR8XSNb58kGhLAe2ZufXiaBbr3tc0WeNNcpxrUEjnIZgKlE5-JScy072SHXI3f_Gz1xPQLpsAAJd_XQQrhMGJn-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C771&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AQM1lxesy3_WQKys0FnfVFM8ZfOuxxWQRRR2HGsQkJFR8XSNb58kGhLAe2ZufXiaBbr3tc0WeNNcpxrUEjnIZgKlE5-JScy072SHXI3f_Gz1xPQLpsAAJd_XQQrhMGJn-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C771&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":253391,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=253391","url_meta":{"origin":368655,"position":1},"title":"Report: Seabird numbers decrease by 90% near offshore wind farms","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/17\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A new study by German scientists has found that diving seabird numbers decreased by an alarming 90 percent near offshore wind turbine installations.","rel":"","context":"In \"climate activists\"","block_context":{"text":"climate activists","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-activists"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0offshore-wind-farm-birds.webp?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0offshore-wind-farm-birds.webp?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0offshore-wind-farm-birds.webp?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0offshore-wind-farm-birds.webp?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/0offshore-wind-farm-birds.webp?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":414588,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=414588","url_meta":{"origin":368655,"position":2},"title":"Cheap Chinese wind turbines to flood British\u00a0waters","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/25\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"British waters could be flooded with\u00a0cheap Chinese wind turbines\u00a0in the future because the cost of Beijing building the machines has plummeted so fast, a new study has warned.","rel":"","context":"In \"China\"","block_context":{"text":"China","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=china"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQM41jkEjBIzLTvIsSIfU2fjB67V8fjF6OLJtSjHQe6ZfBIya1y_XeWLxNTBmhsRtRiHaIbZ4jAwspUXQmfad_otR0ImINKFSUfSculPRj9fp88pd_lKKRr8NeweW74-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQM41jkEjBIzLTvIsSIfU2fjB67V8fjF6OLJtSjHQe6ZfBIya1y_XeWLxNTBmhsRtRiHaIbZ4jAwspUXQmfad_otR0ImINKFSUfSculPRj9fp88pd_lKKRr8NeweW74-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQM41jkEjBIzLTvIsSIfU2fjB67V8fjF6OLJtSjHQe6ZfBIya1y_XeWLxNTBmhsRtRiHaIbZ4jAwspUXQmfad_otR0ImINKFSUfSculPRj9fp88pd_lKKRr8NeweW74-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQM41jkEjBIzLTvIsSIfU2fjB67V8fjF6OLJtSjHQe6ZfBIya1y_XeWLxNTBmhsRtRiHaIbZ4jAwspUXQmfad_otR0ImINKFSUfSculPRj9fp88pd_lKKRr8NeweW74-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQM41jkEjBIzLTvIsSIfU2fjB67V8fjF6OLJtSjHQe6ZfBIya1y_XeWLxNTBmhsRtRiHaIbZ4jAwspUXQmfad_otR0ImINKFSUfSculPRj9fp88pd_lKKRr8NeweW74-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C666&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":415066,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=415066","url_meta":{"origin":368655,"position":3},"title":"How Much Asbestos Do Wind Turbines Contain?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/28\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Following discovery of asbestos lift brake pads in Chinese manufactured Aussie turbines, turbine operators are conducting a frantic audit.","rel":"","context":"In \"asbestos\"","block_context":{"text":"asbestos","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=asbestos"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOVlxBh3cXLA2JMcKR3u2qG0kfMe0U0GCIibllayY583Fdee1Sg3jOFkIB9NQU1tyMQYk4rHaZfynjbrAA4_rhJmTyGThyWRU8uAhPLCBXv_lFm2yEkeRREaMbH6oaw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C657&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOVlxBh3cXLA2JMcKR3u2qG0kfMe0U0GCIibllayY583Fdee1Sg3jOFkIB9NQU1tyMQYk4rHaZfynjbrAA4_rhJmTyGThyWRU8uAhPLCBXv_lFm2yEkeRREaMbH6oaw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C657&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOVlxBh3cXLA2JMcKR3u2qG0kfMe0U0GCIibllayY583Fdee1Sg3jOFkIB9NQU1tyMQYk4rHaZfynjbrAA4_rhJmTyGThyWRU8uAhPLCBXv_lFm2yEkeRREaMbH6oaw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C657&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOVlxBh3cXLA2JMcKR3u2qG0kfMe0U0GCIibllayY583Fdee1Sg3jOFkIB9NQU1tyMQYk4rHaZfynjbrAA4_rhJmTyGThyWRU8uAhPLCBXv_lFm2yEkeRREaMbH6oaw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C657&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQOVlxBh3cXLA2JMcKR3u2qG0kfMe0U0GCIibllayY583Fdee1Sg3jOFkIB9NQU1tyMQYk4rHaZfynjbrAA4_rhJmTyGThyWRU8uAhPLCBXv_lFm2yEkeRREaMbH6oaw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C657&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":420177,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=420177","url_meta":{"origin":368655,"position":4},"title":"Offshore wind turbines steal each other\u2019s wind: yields greatly overestimated","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/06\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Yes, the phenomenon described\u2014often called the wake effect\u2014is a well-established issue in offshore wind energy. Wind turbines extract kinetic energy from the wind, creating downstream regions of reduced wind speed and increased turbulence (known as wakes). In densely packed wind farms or clusters of farms, downstream turbines effectively \"steal\" wind\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"European Green Deal\"","block_context":{"text":"European Green Deal","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=european-green-deal"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQMKLRA2WipL4N_qXSg-x_ZDLRBY6iC_0q85Vn-ZdzxkXlgZxMnxFBE82tjossU1gplNv5sGHo9UFZOS1DCULtSvmwk-5TvcduyhEpVRb_zQ0Sbm0wo1ydy1ekOI6b1Y-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQMKLRA2WipL4N_qXSg-x_ZDLRBY6iC_0q85Vn-ZdzxkXlgZxMnxFBE82tjossU1gplNv5sGHo9UFZOS1DCULtSvmwk-5TvcduyhEpVRb_zQ0Sbm0wo1ydy1ekOI6b1Y-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQMKLRA2WipL4N_qXSg-x_ZDLRBY6iC_0q85Vn-ZdzxkXlgZxMnxFBE82tjossU1gplNv5sGHo9UFZOS1DCULtSvmwk-5TvcduyhEpVRb_zQ0Sbm0wo1ydy1ekOI6b1Y-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQMKLRA2WipL4N_qXSg-x_ZDLRBY6iC_0q85Vn-ZdzxkXlgZxMnxFBE82tjossU1gplNv5sGHo9UFZOS1DCULtSvmwk-5TvcduyhEpVRb_zQ0Sbm0wo1ydy1ekOI6b1Y-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQMKLRA2WipL4N_qXSg-x_ZDLRBY6iC_0q85Vn-ZdzxkXlgZxMnxFBE82tjossU1gplNv5sGHo9UFZOS1DCULtSvmwk-5TvcduyhEpVRb_zQ0Sbm0wo1ydy1ekOI6b1Y-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C576&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":287799,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=287799","url_meta":{"origin":368655,"position":5},"title":"Siemens Cancel Virginia Wind Blade\u00a0Factory","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/13\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"'Development milestones could not be met,' company says. Siemens-Gamesa-to-Double-Hull-Blade-Facility BY\u00a0KATE ANDREWS\u00a0\/\u00a0ROBYN SIDERSKY Amid failing turbine components and financial challenges, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy said Friday it has \u201cdiscontinued\u201d its plans to build\u00a0the nation\u2019s first offshore wind-turbine blade manufacturing facility\u00a0at the Port of Virginia\u2019s Portsmouth Marine Terminal. \u201cSiemens Gamesa will continue\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"$200 million project\"","block_context":{"text":"$200 million project","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=200-million-project"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/OIG-2023-11-13T120832.243.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/OIG-2023-11-13T120832.243.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/OIG-2023-11-13T120832.243.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/OIG-2023-11-13T120832.243.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368655","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=368655"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368655\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":368662,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/368655\/revisions\/368662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/368660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=368655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=368655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=368655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}