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A view of wind turbines in a corn field taken at sunset.

Security For Renewable Energy Producers

Written by Ben Sharpe on . Posted in Blog.

Renewable energy sources are, quite rightly, one of the most important considerations of our time.

Billions of pounds are being invested in the UK to try and find safe, sustainable methods of harvesting energy using the natural resources at hand, which will not cause long term impacts on the planet. At the same time, we’re at the beginning of an energy crisis where existing, non-renewable energy sources are becoming unsustainable.

When the technology required to set up these renewable sources is so expensive and the need is so vast, you can guarantee that crime comes as part of the deal; with news of solar panel thefts and attacks on energy suppliers becoming a weekly occurrence.

Let’s look at some of the renewable energy sources and how we can effectively protect them from security threats.

The Five Major Renewable Energy Sources:

Here in the UK, we are more limited on some energy sources than other countries may be.

Our weather is very changeable meaning that wind and solar power may not be as reliable as we’d like. Our nation is (thankfully) not volcanic, meaning that the feasibility of efficient geothermal plants here in the UK is rather limited.

However, we have a lot of options for renewable energy:

Solar energy from solar farms:

The UK has an estimated 500+ solar farms, a figure which is likely to grow a lot in the coming years. We have covered security for solar farms in some detail before and can provide the very best protection available in the UK.

Harnessing Wind Energy:

Wind farms are a common site around the UK. They can be situated in-land or out to sea, usually in fairly remote areas wich can be difficult to access. Though these colossal windmills would be impossible to pick up and take away, they face a surprising amount of security threats which range from criminal damage and parts theft to arson. Any threat which can result in the stoppage of production needs to be eliminated.

Biomass Production:

You’d be very surprised at the amount of biomass energy plants we have in the UK. The biomass production stations can often be mistaken for silos by the untrained eye. Many farms use biomass processing of agricultural and animal waste though solid waste and sewerage are also great sources to draw energy from. In all cases, these biomass producers need to ensure adequate protection is in place, especially if they are producing and storing volatile or flammable gasses.

Hydropower Energy:

As an island, you would think hydropower would be an obvious source of energy for the UK. Whilst there are methods of drawing power from the sea, most hydropower plants are to be found inland. These can vary vastly in scale their from dams to small production plants or even water mills. Security considerations are really based on that scale, as threats will escalate based as the technological prowess and value of the hydropower plant increases.

Geothermal Energy:

Deep geothermal energy involves drilling over 500 metres to collect the natural heat produced by the earth. Here in the UK, this method is not considered a particularly efficient method of producing renewable energy due to the limitations in locations, high cost of installation and relatively low levels of energy produced. It is entirely possible that technological breakthroughs may change this in the future.

Security Threats Faced By Renewable Energy Providers:

Security threats can often rise based on the levels of technology implemented and range from general nuisance to targeted attacks.

The scale of the energy production will often dictate the types of threat and other factors such as location and changeable weather will have an effect on the types of security that can be implemented and their effectiveness.

The following threats, though not exhaustive, will provide some indication of the security considerations you should have in place to protect your renewable energy production:

  • Terrorist threats
  • Targeted/organised attacks
  • Equipment theft
  • Equipment damage
  • Restricted area access
  • Trespassing
  • Urbexing
  • Disgruntled local residents
  • Protesting
  • Fly-tipping

All of the above can potentially cause stoppages in production and costly repairs.

A Longterm Investment.

For any form of renewable energy to work, a large financial outlay is required. Anything which impairs the energy source from production is going to cost the site owner and will result in longer-term issues.

Whilst you may not consider all renewable energy production facilities as being viable terrorist or organised crime targets, it’s worth bearing in mind that power infrastructure is one of the most targeted industries in any form of conflict, just as much as communication networks or military facilities.

Ensuring effective security is in place is essential. To do this you need advice from industry experts with a good understanding of the area that needs securing and the latest security technology available to do that.

Securing Your Renewable Energy Production Site:

Renewable energy production requires considerable financial investment and extensive planning.

Security should not be an afterthought.

The next step should begin with taking a look at how Safe Security Solutions can create a custom security system to suit your needs exactly. We’ll work with your team to survey the area, understand the current security measures and infrastructure then tie everything together with software that will make monitoring easy.

Best of all, we boast eco-friendly security systems which are kinder to the planet, require less power than standard security measures, and are easy to install with zero maintenance required.

Get in touch today and take the next step towards complete protection.

A security setup that eliminates false alarms, pinpoints intrusions, differentiates between wildlife, human and vehicular activity and does not cost the earth.