REI Mar-Apr 2012 - Renewable Energy Installer

Protecting interests
Renewable Solutions explains how PV Protect will safeguard a
client’s investment and provide an essential revenue stream and sales
tool for the installer
The government, OFGEM and many other organisations have recently highlighted the growing issue of fuel poverty. As PV technology
gets more established in the UK, knowledge of its benefi ts will spread, and with it will come the threat of theft.
Other countries with more established PV markets have seen PV theft become a reality, and many of these do not have fuel bills
spiraling at a rate as high as our own.
The average PV client has in excess of £10,000 of investment vehicle, unguarded on a roof!
There are also many investment-based PV schemes in the UK, installed in higher-than-average crime areas. It is logical to protect
these installations, especially when the fund is retaining the FiT payment.
The concept
PV Protect is fully UK / Internationally Patent Pending. It is a stealth system
(inaudible), protecting the system owner from confrontation and damage to the system/
property.
PV Protect works by alerting the occupier, landlord, site manager or other third party
of the attempted theft, without alerting the thief.
How it works
Bespoke marine-grade pressure switches are installed to key modules on the array by
a universal profi le bracket (any profi le will accept a PV Protect system). The moment
a module is lifted from the array, a signal is sent to a central unit (inside the property).
This can be programmed to wirelessly phone the property owner (or any other number),
where a pre-recorded message will advise that the PV installation is being tampered
with. The call is made wirelessly by GSM – no landline is required.
Third party alerting
Elderly or frail clients can have PV Protect programmed to notify a nominated
neighbour, friend or family member of the theft attempt, for peace of mind.
Multi-site installations
Each property can have its house number programmed into it’s central unit, and all
units programmed to phone a site manager or security manager. The system will then
advise of the exact property being targeted - and all without knowledge or worry to the
occupier.
Installer benefi ts
There are numerous advantages for the installer, says Renewable Solutions. Firstly, every
existing PV owner is a potential client for a PV Protect system, so every client can be
contacted and extra revenue generated - and without any sales or marketing costs.
The company also predicts that in the aftermath of the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) reduction,
it will give companies an opportunity to generate a new income stream and, most
importantly, utilize experienced installation teams who otherwise may be laid off.
A PV Protect system offered as part of a new PV installation also builds value and
offers a unique selling point over a company not offering the technology.
The price is right
Units will be available after Ecobuild, with a cost price of around £380. The RRP will be
around £1200 – a small price to pay for 25 years peace of mind, says the company. And
it adds, given that two to three systems could be installed in a day (without the need to
pre-survey), the revenue potential for a sales or installation company is excellent.
The company is accepting initial calls of interest, where installers can also reserve
stocks pre-Ecobuild launch.
It is happy to look at exclusivity in certain territories or for certain applications (ie. fundbased,
multiple site, free system etc) subject to volume purchase.
PV Protect
Tel: 0845 224 7002
www.pvprotect.co.uk