Case analysis of the theft of millions of photovoltaic panels

How much does a solar theft cost?

Strecke says European solar thefts typically cause €60,000 ($63,900) of damage, when repairs and loss of business are factored in. “Solar crime is on the increase,” says Rachael Oakley, director of crime intelligence at Telford-based DeterTech, formally known as SmartWater Group thanks to its product-marking technology.

How many solar panels can a thief remove?

Viamon's Strecke says organized raiders typically remove 100 panels to 300 solar panels – 10 tons’ worth at the top end. In one case, he adds, thieves removed more than 15,000 panels – 5 MW of generation capacity – in one weekend. “It is organized crime, with big logistics in the background,” he says.

How much property was stolen from UK solar sites last year?

Speakers at the event, held in Telford, in the west of England, appealed for solar site owners to report all incidents of criminal damage, no matter how small. Taylor said GBP 574,300 ($691,500) worth of property was reported stolen from UK solar sites last year, but noted that the real figure is likely higher.

Are solar panels being stolen in the UK?

That figure – reported by Detective Superintendent James Taylor, head of UK serious organized acquisitive crime unit Opal – included a rise in small-scale thefts of solar panels as rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis bite. And the UK experience is far from unique.

Does the UK have a solar crime rate?

And the UK experience is far from unique. German solar security business Viamon tells pv magazine that more than 5,000 “major” solar thefts annually occur in Europe, with more than 400 in Germany alone. In southern Italy, says Viamon Managing Director Oliver Strecke, the solar crime rate is 10 times higher than the European average.

Are criminals observing solar farms?

Criminals are starting to observe solar farms and they know there’s copper in the cabling, and solar panels there.” Copper hit a record GBP 7,500 per ton in February, according to Richie Iwanoff, head of telecommunications company British Telecom’s acquisitive crime team.