Octopus Energy’s partnership with Chinese wind turbine maker Ming Yang Smart Energy has sparked warnings about national security risks, with critics questioning Chinese companies’ participation in critical infrastructure in the UK.
The UK’s largest home energy provider, led by government consultant Greg Jackson, announced the agreement aims to develop up to 6 GW of offshore and onshore wind energy, the first time the UK has deployed a Chinese-made turbine in the UK.
The agreement, called a “groundbreaking partnership” by the octopus, can provide cheap, clean energy and lower household bills. However, conservative MPs, along with U.S. officials, have raised concerns that the inclusion of Chinese technology into the UK power grid could put the country in strategic vulnerability. Shadow Energy Minister Nick Timothy described the move as a “reckless and unacceptable risk”, warning that it could indirectly affect Beijing’s power generation on the UK.
Ming Yang, the world’s third largest turbine manufacturer, had previously filed a dispute in the UK and signed a memorandum of understanding in 2021 to build a blade manufacturing plant in Scotland. Although the company is privately owned, its prominence in sensitive energy projects attracted scrutiny, in line with an earlier government response to Huawei and nuclear power’s CGN in telecommunications.
Octopus said it is committed to addressing security issues, promising to pair Ming Yang’s hardware with software protections developed in the UK to ensure “the highest level of data protection and cybersecurity”. Ministers retained the power to deal under the National Security and Investment Act, and officials insisted that all Chinese participation in the energy supply chain would require strict scrutiny.
The debate is because Britain accelerates its momentum for decarbonizing its power grid, balancing the urgency of hitting climate goals with growing geopolitical tensions in Chinese investment. The results of the minister’s review will determine whether the octopus can develop its plans to diversify the turbine supply beyond established Western manufacturers such as Vestas, Siemens Gamesa and GE.
