In January 2023, there were 1360 operational solar power stations covering around 100,000 acres in the UK. Another 160 solar plants were approved and many more plan applications are being considered.
With this massive buildup of solar capacity comes daily jobs as well as profits, with thefts and thefts of solar appliances on the rise and the number of solar power plants on the rise, criminals who in the past targeted copper wires and wiring are turning to solar panels. theft. . The price of copper has risen sharply since 2020 and reports of organized criminal gangs targeting solar power plants have increased.
CTSG is a Midlands-based technology-driven security systems provider, specialising in the design, installation and maintenance of bespoke electronic security systems in the UK and Europe. Founded in 2011, the team has over 75 years of combined industry experience. Thousands of projects have been completed on several continents around the world and CTSG is specializing in solar site protection as the renewable energy industry grows.
SPP sat down with Terry Westley, CEO of CTSG, to discuss how CTSG is helping homeowners with solar assets in their investments.
Has CTSG been a particular security company in the field of renewable energy, or has it become a more vital component of your work?
CTSG has been actively involved in the renewable energy industry since 2012, when we finalized security installations across the country during the first sun boom.
In 2019, we started looking at opportunities for new engineering, procurement and structure (EPC) projects and temporarily realised there was a renewed appetite for investing in solar progression in the UK. From there, we grew in the market and have become a valued partner to some of the biggest names in EPC and operations and control.
Solar energy is now the most important branch of our business and this is where we have our long-term expansion and specialization, and our consumers are very satisfied with the jobs we do.
Paul Hughes, Director of Operational Excellence, Bouygues Energies
Why is protection at renewable energy sites so important?Are threats becoming or increasing?
There is now greater general awareness about the price of fabrics and appliances used in the structure and operation of solar power plants, meaning they have become more vital targets for theft. With an average length now around 60 MWp, it’s tricky to secure sites and stumble upon intruders before a theft occurs.
Ultimately, threats and demanding situations have not been replaced since 2012, but scale and generation have been replaced, with many larger projects requiring security. These projects are also located in remote rural areas, which may make them more important targets for organized criminal gangs.
This is CTSG’s main raison d’être in the progression of our turnkey pre-security solution, to supply complete perimeter coverage under a contract through a specialized and competent contractor. Typically, projects that adopt this solution are secured before the start of key structure activities. such as the delivery and implementation of modules and daisy-chain cabling.
What is the procedure implemented through the CTSG in terms of security for new developments?What is the corporate set for?
What sets us apart, from an EPC perspective, is our commitment to our customers. We are a price-driven company and work with clients who value our expertise and our collaborative, holistic approach.
Our purpose is to reduce long-term security costs for asset owners, while offering a solution that provides price to the EPC contractor and/or asset owner. We do this by mitigating the threat with our legacy safety solution or by engaging in a cost-effective built-in plant solution, either of which has advantages and disadvantages. If you have a 100-acre site, you come back almost to protect it with human safety and that’s where our pre-security solution comes in.
We supply a custom turnkey security solution employing video surveillance and software tailored to the location and scale of the site, fully implemented in the form of a turnkey package that adds ground trenches/paints, NIC/EIC qualified electrical installation, communication infrastructure and of course fully controlled and monitored security products. We also package the perimeter fence installation to fully secure the site in a single contract, offering the visitor a hassle-free mitigated threat solution. If the progression site is low threat or the visitor prefers that we integrate with the plant infrastructure, we work with your design team to ensure that we offer the most suitable solution that is also easy to maintain.
All of our responses are designed with maximum remote assistance capabilities. We do this to ensure that our goal is not only to reduce the long-term costs of operating and maintaining our systems, but also to try to reduce the environmental impact on that visit. Sites to carry out diagnostic responsibilities brings.
What mistakes do corporations make when budgeting for their site’s security?What recommendation would you give them in this regard?
Thanks to the experience we have gained running with O customers
Due to the large number of responses and technologies implemented over the years, it can be a minefield for asset control to see the price when looking for complete security update projects. Early engagement with an industry specialist is imperative to detect any related issues and costs. At CTSG, we provide advice and assistance in budgeting for the appropriate maximum responses, ensuring that the obligations of the asset owner and their insurers are met while delivering the price through our consultative technique and sustainable responses.
With large-scale application developments, most are based on 40-year leases. The message we seek to convey to developers and asset owners is that the protective apparatus will not last the entire life of the plant. Therefore, budgeting for regular updates to the safety and infrastructure parts are critical to maintaining protection at a smart point in a plant’s operational life.
We have worked with many giant solar operators such as Baywa r. e. , whose CEO, Morgan Harris, said: “CTSG is a valued supplier of solar protection for plants and a professional and experienced supplier.
As the renewable energy sector has grown, has it had to replace the CTSG approach?
CTSG pivoted in response to the growing demand for professional sun protection services, with the purpose of adapting a specialized service provider in the niche industry. Imaginable help to our customers.
As the generation has become more complex and improved, we have followed more complicated systems to stumble upon intruders and grant access to the site. We offer features to prevent, trip and respond to intruders, and all of our systems connect to our Alarm Reception Center (ARC). ) that adapts the reaction to the gravity of the situation, either by contacting the designated key holders or the police.
We have taken a step forward in our safety-based operations, are more focused on structure and have formed partnerships. All of this has given us the team and ability to provide premium price answers to our customers.
How has the generation evolved to facilitate the deployment of security?What roles do thermal imaging and AI play in protecting emails?
The CTSG has conducted extensive studies on effective products to generate alarms of real events, while getting rid of wildlife and environmental situations that result in the isolation of sites in monitoring stations due to exaggerated false alarms: this is a real factor with the protection of sun tracking plants.
Thermal imaging coupled with AI allows us to stumble upon intruders at distances greater than many meters, reducing the total volume of apparatus needed for sites. Products on which we can build our reputation.
We have met intruders in many places thanks to the generation implemented in our responses and this has allowed the government to react temporarily and well to those events. This is vitally important at a time when police are reporting a significant build-up of solar energy related crime.
What’s in it for the GHSC?
Simply put, we aim to be recognised as the UK’s leading provider of solar power plant safety responses and services. , providing an adequate visitor experience, integrating trust, quality and price through cutting-edge answers and services”.