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.
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.
