China could reportedly have a major weapon up their sleeve in the event of WW3, as engineers indicate that secret 'kill switches' exist in renewable energy sources that would grant the ability to wipe out entire power grids.
It has already been outlined the severe danger that modern weaponry could bring to any future world wars, yet electricity could in fact be one of the most powerful tools in a nation's arsenal if they had the ability to restrict it.
You don't have to think too hard about how many facets of modern life rely on constant streams of electricity, and one look at recent power outages in Spain and Portugal shows quite how destructive only a few hours with no power can be.
It could even have the potential to disable military systems, leaving even a country as significant as the United States in a vulnerable position if access to electricity was taken away.
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That's why many are worried about suggestions that China now possess a secret 'kill switch' that could disable entire power grids in the United States, as this could provide a devastating upper hand if a war were to break out.
As reports by Reuters, two people familiar with renewable energy infrastructure have seemingly identified 'unexplained communication equipment' inside Chinese-made devices that now play a role in major power systems across America.
The devices in question are known as power inverters, and they play a vital role in linking renewable energy generating systems like solar and wind farms to the electricity grid. Inverters are also used in items like batteries, heat pumps, and chargers for electric vehicles, and have become an essential part of modern power systems.
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Key to the upkeep of these inverters is their ability to communicate remotely, which allows manufacturers to implement security updates which protect them from any outside interference.
However, it has been discovered that some of these inverters include 'rogue communication devices', which would allow firewall security systems to be circumvented, giving individuals administrative access to major power systems.
It's currently unclear how many inverters and batteries have been investigated and found to include these 'rogue' devices, but the existence of some has led many to worry about the potentially catastrophic consequences.
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"That effectively means there is a built-in way to physically destroy the grid," outlines one expert on the matter, and a spokesperson for the Department of Energy has illustrated: "While this functionality may not have malicious intent, it is critical for those procuring to have a full understanding of the capabiltiies of the products received."
China are a world-leading nation when it comes to solar power in particular, and thus posses an expertise on the matter, yet the Chinese embassy in Washington has spoken out against allegations that these devices were installed with malicious intent.
"We oppose the generalisation of the concept of national security," argues a spokesperson for the embassy, "distorting and smearing China's infrastructure achievements."