One of China's largest wind turbine manufacturers, Ming Yang Smart Energy, is addressing European national security concerns by placing data beyond the reach of Chinese law. The UK blocked its turbines from British offshore wind farms, halting plans for a £1.5bn factory in Scotland that would have created up to 1,500 jobs.
Ming Yang has established separate European legal entities with independent governance and IT systems, following legal advice from DLA Piper. This structure aims to insulate European customers from China's National Intelligence Law, which requires cooperation with state intelligence agencies.
The company formed a joint venture with Octopus Energy, developing onshore turbines tailored for the UK market. While Chinese turbines are typically 30-40% cheaper than Western equivalents, EU governments face a dilemma balancing renewable energy development with security concerns.
Philipp Pfefferle, Ming Yang's head of public affairs, stated the goal is to establish a company compliant with European cyber security and data protection regulations.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing