Photovoltaic theft is rife in Europe
Oliver Stryker added: "PV module theft is not too difficult either. In one case, thieves stole 15,000 PV modules in two days, and another organised gang accumulated a theft size of over 10
By way of example, in August, solar panels worth approximately £10 500 were stolen from an energy farm in Northamptonshire. Solar panel theft is not limited to large scale and commercial solar farms either – homes in remote areas are also vulnerable, with thieves reportedly swiping panels from people's roofs. Why?
This specific spate of theft has been triggered by soaring values – particularly in relation to metals and machinery – and the low supply of farm machinery worldwide. And alongside machinery, recent figures from the UK police suggest criminals have set their sights on another lucrative opportunity – solar panels.
Cable theft Taylor, presenting at a Solar Crime Open Day event organized by site security company DeterTech and London-based asset manager Schroders, reported a 48% rise in cabling and solar panel theft from solar sites between 2021 and 2022.
And alongside machinery, recent figures from the UK police suggest criminals have set their sights on another lucrative opportunity – solar panels. Solar is currently only a small part of the UK's energy mix, but its share is growing, with estimates from Solar Energy UK suggesting the total solar capacity stands at 15 GW.
Oliver Stryker added: "PV module theft is not too difficult either. In one case, thieves stole 15,000 PV modules in two days, and another organised gang accumulated a theft size of over 10
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity has been growing at an average annual rate of around 33% over the past decade. This
Solar panel theft is on the rise - discover why it''s happening, the real cost to operators, and how security measures can help protect valuable infrastructure.
Seven people were arrested by the civil police for involvement in the theft of five shipments of photovoltaic panels. Know more!
DeterTech warns of a sharp rise in organised crime targeting UK solar farms, with 11 serious incidents recorded in March and April. Operators urged to boost site security.
The valuable materials and equipment found on a solar project site make them prime target for criminal activity.
UK entering ''peak period'' of solar PV theft by ''fully industrialised'' criminal network March and April saw a “significant rise” in thefts and crime at UK solar projects, with 11 reported incidents
Cable theft Taylor, presenting at a Solar Crime Open Day event organized by site security company DeterTech and London-based asset manager Schroders, reported a 48% rise in cabling
By way of example, in August, solar panels worth approximately £10 500 were stolen from an energy farm in Northamptonshire. Solar panel theft is not limited to large scale and
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