Huawei reinstated in EU solar panel lobby amid controversy

Huawei has been reinstated in SolarPower Europe (SPE), the EU’s leading solar panel lobby, after threatening legal action over its expulsion due to alleged involvement in a bribery and corruption scandal. The decision has sparked outrage among other solar companies, who fear that creating a special membership category for Huawei could undermine the lobby's ability to effectively represent the industry in Brussels.

“The conduct reported ... specifically the handling of Huawei’s membership has seriously undermined both my personal confidence and that of our organisation in the governance of SPE,” wrote Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß, CEO of Austrian company Fronius, in a letter to SPE obtained by POLITICO.

SPE’s board met at the end of September, where it was decided that Huawei would be reinstated as a “passive member” — a status that allows no active participation in the group’s workstreams. This arrangement was aimed at avoiding a lawsuit, with Huawei having previously contested a European Commission ban on its lobbyists engaging with EU institutions, following accusations of bribing MEPs to influence policy.

Huawei maintained its "zero-tolerance stance against corruption" but did not comment on its legal threat.

The controversy centers around concerns about Huawei's influence and its role in manufacturing solar inverters, which convert solar energy into electricity. Critics, including Fronius, worry that such technologies could pose cybersecurity risks to Europe’s energy infrastructure, with inverters offering potential back doors for hackers.

“Inverters are the brain of a [solar panel] system, connected to the internet and must be remotely controllable for updates. This applies regardless of who the manufacturer is,” Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß said. “If European legislation does not address the ‘manufacturer risk,’ then energy security in Europe will be jeopardised, which I consider critical.”

Fronius has raised further concerns about the legitimacy of Huawei’s “passive membership,” as SPE’s bylaws do not specify such a category. The organisation has yet to address these questions in detail.

By Sabina Mammadli