Perimeter Security for Photovoltaic Roofing Systems

Since the adoption of the Kyoto protocol and the growing consciousness of “renewable energies”, more European countries are beginning to provide public incentives on photovoltaic systems. During the past few years, solar applications in Italy have seen a dramatic increase in sales and usage. Since the construction of one of the largest photovoltaic roofing systems in Italy, perimeter security of the area became a large concern.

  • Jan 24, 2013

At the Interporto of Padova, an industrial area in the eastern part of Padova, one of largest photovoltaic roofs in Italy has been constructed. The roofing system has 12.3 million Watts of capacity, installed over 18 hangars and 7 parking lot roofs. After being completed in Dec. 2010, the roof produces enough energy for 4,000 families and saves 8,000 tons of CO2 emission each year. Solon S.p.A., the Italian manufacturer of solar panels and photovoltaics systems completed the site with 49,000 crystalline silicon solar cells, 7,500 amorphous silicon modules, and 49 invertors for Interporto Solare S.r.l.

After the photovoltaic roof was completed, it was obvious that the area would demand a highly reliable system of protection from theft and vandalism. CIAS anti-intrusion products were selected as first-rate choice. CIAS Elettronica is a whole Italian company nationally and internationally renowned as technological leader in outdoor perimeter protection solutions: microwave, infrared and double/triple technology barriers, dopplers and fence sensor system.

The microwave barrier CORAL was the choice for Interporto di Padova solar roof application. 98 CORALs were installed in an anti-climbing way in order to fit the plant’s protection requirements.With range of 100 and 200m, it has been conceived for quick and easy installation, yet maintaining a quality level significantly above the average, for complete protection.

CORAL incorporates an audio-visual set-up system which simplifies the alignment and set up of the barrier. A “walk-test” function was also included, which identifies the real dimensions of the protection field with mathematical alignment precision. With the instrument incorporated inside the receiver head, the walk test and all the other functions are used to have an optimal alignment, which reducing the probability of generating improper alarms.

In this solar roof application CIAS barriers are managed by the Honeywell control panel GALAXY, and are remotely controlled by means of a supervision system that constantly checks the status of electricity production and the CIAS anti-intrusion system at the same time.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.