South Korean solar inverter manufacturers have jointly established a new inverter manufacturers association to coordinate domestic production, ensure local expertise and address import-driven market and grid stability issues.
Seven South Korean inverter makers have formed a new industry group to coordinate domestic production and tackle rising cybersecurity risks associated with foreign-made equipment that now dominates the market.
The group – OCI Power, Dass Tech, Ecos, Dongyang E&P, DIK, Geumbi Electronics and Inno Electric – held its opening meeting on November 18 at the Cheongju Osong Convention Center in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
The council said it plans to establish a unified response framework for domestic converters, propose policy measures and strengthen the industry’s position in a market where imports, mainly from China, account for more than 80% of annual sales.
OCI Power said in a recent press statement that the companies aim to stabilize network operations and protect local expertise at a time when unapproved communications modules in Chinese inverters and batteries have raised concerns about unauthorized access, remote tampering and firewall bypass.
South Korea’s inverter sector is under pressure as foreign hardware and ODM schemes crowd out local technology. The market is valued at KRW 1 trillion ($680.6 million) per year, with most segments dependent on imports, apart from a few niches.
Officials also point to risks to energy security as inverters increasingly function as network devices that monitor generation and grid conditions in real time. The warnings reflect increasing scrutiny in Europe, where regulators and industry groups have highlighted vulnerabilities in connected inverters and data systems.
The government’s renewable energy targets could expand domestic options. South Korea’s 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee plans to deploy 100 GW of renewable energy sources by 2030, including 80 GW of solar energy. With a current solar capacity of 27 GW, annual installations of more than 10 GW will be required over the next five years, underscoring the need for domestic production and a resilient supply chain.
Until now, South Korean manufacturers have lacked a collective voice, and heavy dependence on ODM imports has made it difficult to address shared concerns. The new council said it will support stronger local manufacturing and strengthen the inverter supply chain as cybersecurity concerns escalate globally.
Recent developments across Europe show that regulations and industry are increasingly concerned about the cybersecurity risks associated with connected solar inverters.
SolarPower Europe said in a spring 2025 report that connected inverters and cloud-based data systems expose EU solar power plants to cyber threats, including ransomware, remote shutdown and data misuse. The research shows that fragmented governance, weak installer practices and limited sector-specific regulations leave large parts of the solar fleet vulnerable, despite new EU cybersecurity legislation.
The Czech Cyber Security Agency warned in September that Chinese solar inverters, which make up up to 99% of the hardware in the country’s small PV installations, pose risks including data exposure, firmware tampering and potential disruption to the electricity grid. The agency called for measures to curb dependence on Chinese technology, while the National Solar Energy Association said Europe must expand its own manufacturing base to tackle this level of structural dependence.
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