Protecting solar parks against cable and copper theft
Solar parks are often remote, without buildings or fixed infrastructure, yet with kilometres of copper cable in the ground and along the panels. That makes them an easy target. Tall fixed camera poles are not an option: their shadow costs yield. Well-placed STALICO® mobile camera masts protect the park without shading the panels and without a grid connection.
Challenge
The problem
- A solar park contains a lot of copper cables and lines, with no buildings or infrastructure around them: easy to steal and hard to monitor.
- There is usually a fence, but no tall poles for cameras: they cast a shadow on the solar panels, which leads to energy loss.
- Besides cables, panels, inverters and tools are also sought after, especially during construction, when the fence is not yet closed and materials lie on site.
- After a cable theft, (part of) the park stands still until everything is repaired and retested: production is lost, on top of the repair costs.
- Solar parks are far apart and far from a monitoring centre or guard; people on site are expensive.
Why cable theft is so costly
The stolen copper itself is only a small part of the damage. Cables have to be pulled, connected and inspected again, and until that is done the park produces little or no power. Thieves who succeed once also tend to come back. Visible surveillance that detects intruders at the fence, before the first cable is cut, therefore pays for itself quickly.
Solution
The STALICO® solution
Mobile camera masts that you place so they overlook the park without shading the panels, fully autonomous on solar and battery.
- No shadow on the panels: you choose the spot yourself, for example along the fence, on the maintenance roads or on the north side of the rows. The slender mast and compact base take little sun away.
- Surveillance at the perimeter: cameras at height overlook the fence, the access gate and the zones with inverters and transformers, where intruders show up first.
- Fully autonomous: solar panels and battery; with an EFOY fuel cell, also in the dark winter months. No cables, no digging.
- During construction too: the mast is there from day one and moves along with the works until the park is finished.
- Covering large parks: combine several masts with the STALICO® Drone Hub for an aerial overview.
- Ready for your camera system: space and power for cameras, lighting and a siren of your choice.
How to secure a solar park with STALICO®
- Reviewing your request. You or your security partner tell us how large the park is, how long surveillance is needed and which cameras go on the mast. We advise on the right mast and make an energy calculation.
- Smart placement. Along the fence, at the gate and near the inverters, so the mast overlooks the park without shading the panels.
- Quickly installed. One person raises the mast in less than 15 minutes. No foundations, no trenches through the park.
- Moving on. From construction to operation, or from one park to the next.
Which mast suits your solar park?
- STALICO® Solar Tower: fold-out solar panels of 990 Wp and a 6.5 m mast. For long-term, autonomous deployment.
- STALICO® SolarSight: compact (1.15 × 1.15 m) and 5.38 m high, with extra protection against vandalism. Fits on narrow strips between fence and panels.
- STALICO® Solid: robust mast up to 6.9 m with anti-climb protection and reinforced cable protection, for remote parks with a high risk.
- STALICO® Drone Hub: mobile drone base for autonomous patrols over large parks.
For security companies and installers
We do not rent out masts through STALICO®. With STALICO® masts, security companies and installers offer owners, operators and builders of solar parks fast, flexible protection without shading the panels.
Matching products
Contact
Tell us what you need to light or monitor. We think along with you and quickly send you a tailored proposal.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does the camera mast cast a shadow on the solar panels?
You place a mobile mast exactly where it does not get in the way: along the fence, on a maintenance road or on the north side of the rows. That way it overlooks the park without shading the panels, and you move it when the situation changes.
Does the mast also work in winter, without grid power?
Yes. The mast runs on solar panels and battery; for the dark months you add an EFOY methanol fuel cell. How long the autonomy lasts depends on the cameras and technology you choose: we make an energy calculation for that.
Can the mast already be in place during construction of the solar park?
Yes. During construction there is a lot of valuable material on site and the fence is often not yet closed. The mast is there from day one and moves along with the works.