Startup tackles rising solar panel theft
By Loralee Stevens, Business Journal Staff Reporter
Gridlock Solar Security developing system to detect theft, set off alarm
Gridlock Solar Security CEO John Stalcup; chairman, lead engineer and President Ken Holmes; and Director of Business Development Tyson Berg
SANTA ROSA – Ken Martin Jr. faced $75,000 in replacement costs after 58 solar panels were stolen from his Santa Rosa office building.
Meanwhile, ZD Wines, Harris Ranch and Honig Vineyard in Rutherford are each looking at about $70,000 in losses due to solar theft.
Ninety panels taken from Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District in San Rafael caused damage and losses that could top $135,000. Thieves have hit installations at Star Route Farms in Bolinas, Santa Rosa’s Roseland Middle School and Napa Valley College.
The list goes on, including a prominent educational institution in Sonoma County which recently lost 90 panels.
Ken Holmes, president and lead engineer of Gridlock Solar Security, believes he has a solution.
His energy consulting firm Kenwood Energy has been looking for effective deterrents for several years.
“There’s nothing out there, so I finally decided to build one,” he said.
Partnering with the Santa Rosa-based University of Northern California’s tech incubator, his eight-employee startup has 10 working, patent-pending models it plans to debut at the Intersolar trade show in San Francisco next week.
According to Gridlock Director of Business Development Tyson Berg, solar theft is growing right along with the industry. California, with more than 33,000 installations, also reports the most theft, although no statistics have been compiled.
“It’s a shame, but school districts, which love solar, are often hit, and although insurance companies will replace the panels, replacement installation and lost energy really add up,” he said.
The Gridlock product, Solar-Guard, deploys a system of wiring to detect removal of the panels from their frames and send out an alert over radio frequency, cellular, satellite or landline networks. The signal can trigger a number of actions, including phone calls to the system owners or police and Web alerts to any electronic device.
On-site, bright lights go on, and a piercing siren is activated.
“You just don’t want to be in the vicinity of that sound,” said Mr. Berg.
Solar panels are heavy and must be unbolted, sometimes with special tools. The multi-panel thefts take place at night from empty buildings or remote sites, he said. Sometimes the thieves are adept at removal, indicating familiarity with the industry. Others are amateurs, often damaging the panels beyond use during the crime.
The panels turn up for sale on the Internet, for a fraction of what they cost originally.
“You’ll see panels for $400, small ones for $20. The thieves that took $135,000 worth of panels from Las Gallinas will probably get $30,000 to $40,000,” said Mr. Berg.
Gridlock intends to offer its Solar-Guard products for less than 1 percent of the total installation cost. They’ll sell to solar systems manufacturers for new systems, and sell directly to system owners for retrofits.
“We’ll be approaching insurers as well, to suggest lowered rates if a solar system has built-in security equipment,” said Mr. Tyson.
The systems are manufactured at Gridlock’s facility, part of the University of Northern California’s Corporate Center Parkway campus. The company expects to begin shipping at the end of July.
Gridlock is the fourth startup to partner with the university, which is incubating three medical device companies.
John Stalcup, university provost and CEO of Gridlock, said the institution is looking for more clean green startups to help financially.
“Gridlock has the potential for explosive growth. We took it to the recent Solar Fair in Santa Rosa. The interest it attracted among solar installers demonstrated just how timely and badly needed the systems are,” said Dr. Stalcup.
For more information visit www.gridlocksolar.com.
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Learn to build a 12v solar panel
by Darrin
Here is an inexpensive solution to the problem of Solar Panel Thefts
Lock up your Solar Panels
Super-Strong and Fast-Curing Adhesive/Sealant Specifically made for Metal Parts. WEICONLOCK products are high
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economical thread locking, retaining and sealing of threaded, cylindrical and pipe assemblies. Works with
(Chrome, Zinc, Nickel, Stainless Steel and Aluminum)
The characteristic feature of WEICONLOCK is the curing in contact with metal while deprived of air. It provides a
shock- and vibration-resistant joint with excellent resistance to chemicals and solvents. Due to its liquid
consistency WEICONLOCK completely fills the gaps, thus giving protection against leakage and fretting corrosion.
Disassemble with blowtorch, heat to 350 C to soften the material to remove the bolts. A 20ml pen will lock a
typical array for under $15!
AT 302-60 thread locking, higher viscosity, high strength, hard to disassemble. Available in 20, 50 and 200 ml.
FHWM-AA-600 http://www.freehotwater.com/WEICONLOCK.pdf
Available in the U.S. exclusively from Free Hot Water
http://www.freehotwater.com/materials.html
by freehotwater
NEW SOLAR PANEL PROTECTION
Stop solar panel theft before it happens.
Application of guarding and tracking solar panels and small wind turbines.
The solar tracker comes with a hardwire adapter which can be used to trickle charge the device from the panels own power supply, the sun.
Or the solar tracker can be externally mounted and operate up to six month on its own battery pack.
Should the panel be stolen the tracker will then operate on its backup internal battery to allow you to track the location of stolen panel.
The Solar tracker is one of the smallest and lightest GPS tracking devices on the market today offering full functionality, including the ability to set your own tracking interval and create virtual geo-fences around a your solar panels.
What’s more, the mapping system can be licensed offering further long-term savings by eliminating the need to pay activation and monthly subscription charges.
With the solar tracker you set the perimeter around the solar panels and if the panels are moved outside this protected area the gps device will notify you.
You Get Instant Geofence Alerts via SMS or E-mail
Based on your personal preferences, get instant alerts via e-mail or text message the moment your GPS solar panel Tracker goes outside of a designated area.
Stop theft before it happens.
We are the only company offering this device for this use, you can’t buy it any were else.
our devices are cast in electronics resin to discise them and to protech the internat components agains others from reverse engeneering them.
You can enter any phone number into the tracker and that number will be contacted should your solar panel be moved from its locaton.
And you can track the solar panel if it is stolen. Just like a car lojack system only better. How many solar panels will you lose to theft before you decide to put a stop to it.
Also suitable for small and larger wind turbine systems. 100% Web Based Secure Online Access
Access your location information from any computer with Internet, anywhere in the world. The Solar tracker uses our unique Bolt Server, which allows users to check important location data securely online.
Unparalleled Accuracy Within 15 Ft. Of Exact Location
You will get an accurate GPS location to within 15 feet under open sky where the device can get the greatest GPS satellite readout. Even if your tracker moves indoors, you will get an accurate location update before the GPS Tracker enters a building alerting you where the GPS Tracker is located.
by scott bowlan