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Preventing solar panel theft is a key issue for owners and operators of renewable energy sites in the UK. When criminals steal from solar sites, this impacts their revenue.

Furthermore, insurance claims and the cost and time associated with replacing panels impact operations.

Reports in the UK press highlight just how lucrative they are to criminals. In addition to incidents of thieves stealing from solar farms, other locations where solar panels are installed, such as homes, businesses, and storage sites, are also prime targets for theft.

As secured specialists in the renewable energy sector, we’ve published this brief article outlining some of the most effective solutions to protect your solar farm’s panels against theft.

Table of contents

Solar Site CCTV Monitoring & Protection systems

How to protect solar panels

In this short article, we offer some advice on the security measures that help protect solar panels and catch thieves in the act.

Owners and operators of solar farms are responsible for maintaining revenue and operational continuity.

The impact of solar panel theft can be disastrous.

Here are various ways you can deter panel theft from solar farms in the UK.

Related reading:

CCTV monitoring

Owners and operators of solar farms don’t have to deal with the threat of crime daily. However, when they are the victims of crime, the cost can easily run into hundreds of thousands, if not millions. This largely depends on the size and scale of the operation.

Employing onsite security guards to patrol the site and monitor CCTV footage can be expensive.

Three guards could easily cost over £100,000 in salaries alone.

Alternatively, CCTV monitoring provides a cost-effective, robust alternative to managing solar farm security.

Here’s how it works:

  • The system is deployed in the usual way
  • Cameras are positioned to watch over the panels
  • Each camera has sensors designed to spot human presence
  • If the system is triggered, an alarm signal is received at an offsite monitoring centre
  • The CCTV footage is reviewed
  • If a security threat is spotted, appropriate action can be taken

In many cases, CCTV monitoring can reduce the cost of security by around 80%

Looking to learn more about CCTV monitoring?

Here are two articles we have written covering this topic:

Solar Farm Perimeter Fence

Perimeter security & intrusion detection

The site perimeter is the first line of defence.

A robust perimeter security system can help prevent thieves from accessing your solar site. Security fencing helps deter thieves and trespassers and as a result, helps protect solar panels from theft.

As mentioned in the previous section of this article, CCTV cameras help monitor suspicious activity within the site perimeter.

To ensure maximum security, CCTV cameras and alarms can protect the site perimeter.

If you work with an experienced solar farm security company, they should be building the following protection and detection systems into the system:

  • PIR beams and sensors. If an intruder triggers a beam or sensor, it raises an alert. Following this, your offsite CCTV monitoring team will review the footage and take immediate action where needed
  • Infra-Red (IR) lighting and illuminators. IR lighting and illuminators are deployed in areas where environmental considerations limit the use of traditional security lighting. IR lighting and illuminators provide an element of stealth to the system. A thief or trespasser won’t see the light, and will be oblivious to the fact they are being monitored. Furthermore, the monitoring station will see the intruder. Perfect for apprehending criminals
  • Perimeter intrusion detection systems (PIDs). This can be in the form of fence, ground mounted or buried vibration detection systems.
  • Video analytics. Due to the rural nature of solar farms, the presence of wildlife around the site perimeter is unavoidable. Advanced video analytics can help distinguish between a cow and an intruder leading to improved detection and reduced false alarms

The role of access control

If you are providing access to your solar site via lock and key, you could impact security.

If you don’t appropriately monitor general site access during the build phase, you could be inviting crime.

Why?

During the build phase of utility-scale solar farms, hundreds of site workers will be accessing the site.

Upon completion of the site, maintenance staff are likely to visit the site to carry out checks and remedial works.

By deploying a monitored access control system, you can track and trace access to the site on an individual basis.

If you don’t, a criminal gang could have a ‘man on the inside’. This person could comfortably provide intel on the site and provide thieves with easy access to the site late at night.

But what about CCTV monitoring? Surely this suffices?

Criminals are resourceful and take risks. The chief beneficiaries of theft aren’t necessarily the perpetrators. Those stealing the panels are likely doing so on behalf of another.

If you deploy a trackable fob or key card access control system, you will know if someone has accessed the site at 3 am, or who they are.

Fencing

A strong and secure perimeter is one of the most effective ways to protect solar panels from theft. Installing a high-security fence around your site creates a physical barrier, making unauthorised access significantly more difficult.

A well-designed fencing system can deter criminals before they even attempt to breach the site.

  • Choose steel or welded mesh fencing for durability and resistance to tampering.
  • Ensure fencing is at least 2.4m high with anti-climb features.
  • Install secure, access-controlled gates for authorised personnel only.
  • Integrate perimeter alarms and motion sensors for added security.

A properly installed, high-quality fence serves as a strong first line of defence, reducing the likelihood of intrusion and keeping your solar farm secure.

Mounting systems

Solar panels are a prime target for thieves due to their high resale value, making it essential to use secure, tamper-resistant mounting systems.

By implementing reinforced mounting structures, you can make it much more difficult for intruders to remove panels quickly, reducing the risk of theft.

  • Use anti-tamper screws and locking bolts to prevent panel removal.
  • Opt for reinforced ground-mount and roof-mount structures that require specialised tools to disassemble.
  • Consider solar panel locking clamps for additional security.
  • Regularly inspect mounting systems to ensure they remain secure over time.

By investing in high-quality, theft-resistant mounting systems, you add an extra layer of protection, making your solar farm a much harder target for criminals.

Panel marking

Marking your solar panels with unique identification numbers is a simple but effective security measure.

It makes stolen panels easier to trace, discourages resale, and helps the police recover stolen property.

Thieves are far less likely to target marked panels, as they become harder to sell.

  • Use UV-etched serial numbers or microdot markings for permanent identification.
  • Register your panels on police and industry databases to aid recovery.
  • Apply tamper-proof security labels that are difficult to remove without leaving visible damage.
  • Promote the use of marked panels with visible signage to deter thieves.

By incorporating traceable panel marking, you can significantly reduce the chances of theft and increase the likelihood of recovering stolen equipment.

How to protect solar farm panels from theft – summary

With the rise of solar energy adoption, solar panels have become a prime target for thieves due to their high resale value.

Theft can cause significant financial losses, operational downtime, and expensive replacements, making security a top priority for solar farm operators, landowners, and businesses.

To effectively protect solar panels from theft, a multi-layered security approach is recommended:

Fencing – Secure your perimeter with high-security fencing, anti-climb measures, and access-controlled gates.

  • Mounting systems – Use anti-tamper screws, reinforced brackets, and locking clamps to prevent easy panel removal.
  • Panel Marking – Mark panels with UV-etched serial numbers or microdot technology to discourage resale and aid recovery if stolen.
  • CCTV & Surveillance – Install 24/7 monitored CCTV cameras with motion detection and remote access.
  • Alarm Systems & Lighting – Use motion-activated security lights and intruder alarms to deter thieves.
  • Security Patrols & Monitoring – Employ regular security patrols and real-time remote monitoring for enhanced protection.

By implementing these security measures, solar farm operators and businesses can reduce theft risk, protect assets, and ensure uninterrupted energy production.

A proactive security strategy not only enhances safety but also helps with insurance compliance and cost savings.

For more information on the services Safeguard Systems offer related to this article, here are some useful links: