Unexplained components found in Denmark’s energy equipment imports

A routine inspection has uncovered unexplained electronic components embedded in imported hardware destined for Denmark’s energy infrastructure, raising fresh concerns about security vulnerabilities in critical systems.

The discovery was made by Green Power Denmark, an industry association representing the country’s renewable energy sector. According to Jørgen Christensen, the group’s technical director, the suspicious components were found on printed circuit boards intended for energy supply equipment. While the precise nature and potential risks of these components remain unclear, an investigation is already underway.

“We don’t know how critical it is or whether there are bad intentions behind it,” Christensen told Reuters. He declined to disclose the country of origin for the equipment or identify the parties leading the investigation. He also did not specify whether the devices were meant for solar power systems, an area under increasing scrutiny in global energy markets.

The incident comes at a time of heightened international focus on the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure, especially energy grids, which have become prime targets for potential sabotage or espionage through hardware-level vulnerabilities.

Walburga Hemetsberger (pictured), CEO of solar industry association SolarPower Europe, called the situation “highly concerning” and stressed the importance of a thorough investigation.

Christensen noted that while it’s possible the supplier included the extra components unintentionally—perhaps because the boards were designed for multi-purpose use—they had no place in equipment destined for the national grid. “We can’t say at this point whether there was malicious intent, but that doesn’t change the fact that these components shouldn’t be there,” he added.

The story was first reported by Danish outlet Berlingske, and comes on the heels of a similar report from the United States, where energy officials recently discovered unauthorized communication modules in Chinese-manufactured solar inverters and battery systems capable of bypassing cybersecurity defenses and potentially destabilizing power grids.