AVASUN perimeter protact, a brand of STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, is traveling to the UK again.

Thanks to its specialization and many years of experience in perimeter protection, AVASUN was able to assert itself again and secured a large-scale PV system with an output of 67MW using video analysis.

The PV park is close to Cambridge, but there is no time to study as the 8-week window is quite tight.

The on-site construction phase of the video analysis has already started in May and the completion and commissioning is scheduled for August.

Further PV parks in Great Britain are already being discussed and in the preliminary planning stage. STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH and its brand AVASUN are internationally specialized in the protection of solar parks and battery storage systems. High-quality PSS (perimeter security systems) such as fence sensors, video analytics, radar and ground detection as well as alarm and video surveillance systems are used.

AVASUN has successfully secured several battery storage systems at 3 PV parks in Germany. The partnership with a long-standing customer underlines the strong relationship and trust AVASUN enjoys in the industry.
The battery storage systems are used to store surplus energy from PV - plants and release it when needed to keep the power grid stable and support the integration of renewable energy. The long-term cooperation has led to a profound understanding of the specific requirements demanded of PV - parks. This contributes to an effective and reliable solution.
AVASUN has established itself as an expert in providing customized security technology solutions for PV - parks and battery storage and is continuously working to meet the needs of its customers.
The successful securing of these battery storage systems in Germany is another milestone for AVASUN and underlines the company's recognition in the industry for its outstanding performance and reliability.
 
STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH with its brand AVASUN specializes internationally in securing solar farms and battery storage systems. High-quality security systems such as fence detection systems, video analytics, radar detection, alarm and video surveillance systems are used.

​AVASUN, a brand of STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH from Austria, is back in the UK. 
One of Germany's largest installers of large-scale PV systems is planning its long-term commitment in the UK and has enlisted AVASUN as a specialist perimeter security partner for this purpose.
 
The first project, a 10 MW solar farm in Wales, was started. However, some special challenges had to be mastered. The main task in the preparation was to obtain the required permits and necessary certificates. The second challenge was the short time needed to implement the safety system at the PV park. 
Since the PV plant was already handed over at the end of December, AVASUN had approx. 10 weeks from order placement to completion, which can definitely be considered sporty in view of delivery times and scheduling in ongoing operations.
 
The second project to secure a solar farm in the size of 67 MW in England has already been ordered.
 
The preparatory work (pre-assembly and extensive preliminary tests of the security system at the site in Fohnsdorf) has been completed; thus, nothing stands in the way of a successful implementation. For us at AVASUN, it is important to prepare the entire system in advance at the site, to have a test run of at least 2 weeks and - before the safety system is delivered to the PV plant - to also carry out an in-house acceptance test for quality assurance. 
 
The first on-site construction phase will begin as early as May. As the completion and commissioning is to take place in July, the time window of 8 weeks is also quite tight here. Further solar farms to be secured in England, which are to be built scattered over the "island", are already in preliminary planning. 

The MET Group as a major European investor in the field of renewable energies, among others, once again places the security of three large solar parks in Hungary in the hands of AVASUN. AVASUN, as a brand of the Austrian Styx Sicherheitstechnik GmbH and international perimeter specialist for large-scale solar plants, has thus not only prevailed against various competitors, but also obtained the status of a future permanent supplier for perimeter protection and security technology for upcoming solar parks of the MET Group.

The solar farms in Hungary are two parks with approx. 100 MW, which will be realized by IBC Solar, and another solar farm with approx. 60.5 MW, which is under contract to CMC Europe. Established security technology, as already installed by AVASUN in 17 previous PV parks in Hungary, will be used. The excellent and professional cooperation with the clients CMC Europe, IBC Solar GmbH and Solarpro Holding must be explicitly emphasized here.

The Leipziger Volkszeitung reports in its issue of 05.08.2021 about thefts in connection with photovoltaic/solar technology.
According to the Landeskriminalamt of Saxony, 27 cases were detected in Saxony in the 1st half of the year with a total damage of 375,631 EUR. During this period, 100 inverters were stolen.

The comparison to the same period of the previous year is interesting. Although the number of thefts increased only slightly in 2021 (24 in 2020), the amount of damage (66,971 EUR) increased more than fivefold.

It is again stated that it is organized crime with professional approach. Especially the usual form of "securing" by a normal fence is described as insufficient.

The whole article is available here.The Leipziger Volkszeitung reports in its issue of 05.08.2021 about thefts in connection with photovoltaic/solar technology.
According to the Landeskriminalamt of Saxony, 27 cases were detected in Saxony in the 1st half of the year with a total damage of 375,631 EUR. During this period, 100 inverters were stolen.

The comparison to the same period of the previous year is interesting. Although the number of thefts increased only slightly in 2021 (24 in 2020), the amount of damage (66,971 EUR) increased more than fivefold.

It is again stated that it is organized crime with professional approach. Especially the usual form of "securing" by a normal fence is described as insufficient.

The whole article is available here.

Training is an important aspect at STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH. All security systems are only as good as they are installed, programmed and adjusted as well as recurring maintenance. Therefore we train our personnel frequently on all applied systems in both theory and practice.
 
For this purpose, we operate our in-house test field APTA, where the relevant systems are installed, tested and used for training purposes. In addition, we also use APTA for the further training of our customers. During a training course held in March 2021 under strict COVID 19 requirements, we taught both users and our own technicians the capabilities and performance limits of the various systems in a large-scale camera and video analytics test.
 
In addition to intensive training for our employees of the Honeywell ADPRO PIR detectors, we were able to impressively show our external training participants in theory and practice how powerful a high-quality perimeter security system must respond in order to effectively detect and verify any unauthorized intrusion. Different perpetrator behavior according to CPNI patterns as well as the use of deceptive and disruptive means showed that even the most powerful systems can reach their limits. For the participating representatives of security authorities and special units, various presentations by a customer but also experts for perimeter security with video surveillance showed which problems can arise from improper installations.
 
The success of the security training day and the feedback confirmed our efforts as to continue these events in the future.

The Dutch Groendus Projecten, an energy network of different companies (Greenspread / Rooftop Energy / Solaris Industria), awards AVASUN/STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH the contract securing a PV park in the south of the Netherlands. The order was preceded by a comprehensive written security concept, which AVASUN prepared and which was checked and approved by the insurance companies involved. The concept provides for uninterrupted monitoring of the approx. 2.7 km long fence line, as well as high-performance cameras to supplement the perimeter security. In addition, there is the possibility of direct perpetrator contact. The security system for the 30 MW solar farm will be implemented as early as the 2nd quarter of 2021.

AVASUN/STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH has been awarded the contract for securing a 62 MW solar park, PV park number 22 in Hungary. The Bulgarian client and EPC Solarpro Holding, trusts in AVASUN's competence as a specialized perimeter security installer. MET Holding AG from Zug, Switzerland, is the investor behind the new solar park and also knows it is in good hands, as this is already the second solar park to be protected by AVASUN. With a fence length of almost 7 km, the park will receive extensive security technology with a fence detection system and other security features for uninterrupted monitoring of the perimeter.

As the general contractor for the security technology, AVASUN perimeter protact, a brand of STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, handed over the security and safety system for a 10 MW solar park in central Germany to the operator.
 
Among five competitors, AVASUN was awarded the contract in a tender prepared by the independent expert Markus Piendl, Munich. Piendl accompanied the operator, a cooperative bank from southern Germany, throughout the entire period up to the successful acceptance of the trades.
 
The solar farm, located near Magdeburg, had already experienced several successful thefts. In addition, there were two fires of the inverters in the stations. These total damages amounting to approx. 900,000 EUR now caused the operator and her insurance company to pull the emergency brake and act appropriately.
 
For this purpose, they called in Markus Piendl, who has extensive expertise with more than 800 photovoltaic parks assessed worldwide, as an independent project supervisor and expert. Piendl prepared a tender that placed high demands on the security technology. Thus, in addition to redundant sensor technology with 100% coverage of the perimeter, topics such as guard control system, addressing the perpetrator, IT hardening, VPN connection to a certified emergency call and security control center, as well as a complete implementation according to the state of the art were required.
 
Another expert for fire protection was responsible for assessing the fire hazard and the resulting measures to be taken.
 
In a first step after winning the tender for the security technology, AVASUN tested the combination of sensors for perimeter protection on its own test field APTA. The expert and the operator of the solar park checked the planned monitoring system in day and night tests in accordance with the very strict specifications of the CPNI (formerly i-Lids®) by means of various overcoming tests such as stooped walking, sealing/creeping and rolling through the monitored area.
 
A second video surveillance expert called in, Hannes Dopler from Vienna, complicated the tests by using laser pointers and various decoys such as smoke candles to determine the maximum reliable detection distance.
 
Piendl, Dopler and the operator were only satisfied and approved the subsequent surveillance solution for the photovoltaic park when all the planned sensors independently triggered an alarm without any gaps at the various distances.
 
The operator insisted on a single point of contact for the project. So AVASUN/STYX took on the general contractor role for all services to be provided, such as earthworks and foundation work, delivery of all necessary cables, delivery and installation of a station for the components of the security and fire protection technology. Also the construction of the entire security and fire protection system, as well as the coordination of personnel monitoring during the construction phase and the later connection to a certified security and emergency control center.
 
While the preparatory work was going on at the construction site, AVASUN configured the entire security technology in-house and checked it in advance for functionality and smooth interaction of all components.
 
In a next step, various re-enactments of fire situations were carried out. The unsuccessful attempts to extinguish the simulated thermite fires prompted the experts to follow the suggestion of our close partner company PHAO Sicherheits- und Elektrotechnik GmbH from near Frankfurt and to equip the stations with a smoke aspiration system, which disconnects the stations from the power supply at a very early stage. This reliably counteracts the development of a fire situation. The fire protection control panel used is integrated into the overall intrusion detection system.
 
After completion of all preparatory work such as cable laying and foundation construction for the camera poles, AVASUN and its partner PHAO began installing the security and fire protection technology in parallel. The deployment of personnel security during the entire installation period prevented an obviously planned further theft attempt on the site.
 
The completion of all work coincided with the peak phase of the second COVID-19 wave, and experts and the operator therefore decided to venture a novelty in pre-acceptance - a virtual acceptance online. For this purpose, René Steinkellner, head of STYX Sicherheitstechnik GmbH, wore a helmet camera and, together with his colleague, followed the instructions of the experts and the operator regarding the inspection of all services required in the tender and all required penetration tests in the perimeter. This was followed by the trial connection to the security and emergency call control center until the final acceptance on site later.
 
A particular challenge now became apparent in the strong animal population that colonized the park, ranging from rabbits to foxes and wild boars to a wolf. This situation entailed upgrading the existing chain-link fence to minimize animal intrusion by crawling underneath.
 
At the end of February 2021, experts and the operator once again checked the security and fire protection system for the solar park in extensive tests and then granted acceptance. With great interest from the fire department, police, state criminal investigation office, security service provider and manufacturer, AVASUN and its partner companies handed over the solar park to the operator with the good feeling of having created an excellently secured area in terms of both theft protection and fire prevention.

Despite the Corona crisis and tough competition, AVASUN, in conjunction with RP security solutions, was able to secure another larger order in Hungary.
 
It concerns an approx. 40 MW solar park, which was planned and will be built by one of the well-known and important solar companies in Germany.
Digital fence detection, extensive video verification as well as various other monitoring measures are used.
 
The entire security package had already met the high and very detailed requirements of the ERGO insurance company in previous orders and was able to prove its performance capability through extensive acceptance tests by an expert.
 
However, the decisive factors for the award of the contract were not only price-related aspects, but also the always prompt assistance with technical questions and support for the planning implementation of the security technology. Questions and technical requirements were answered or solved within a few hours to a maximum of one day.
 
This rapid support and the flexible availability of AVASUN is highly appreciated by all previous customers according to their own statements and underlines the reliability, which is described as great at AVASUN.