Theft of solar panels, a new form of delinquency?
Thursday July 23, 2009 19:00 PM
PARIS, July 23 (Reuters) - The development of solar energy in France could have an unexpected consequence: the increase in thefts of solar panels from the roofs of houses.
Theft of this type is not confirmed by the police or the gendarmerie, whose statistics report thefts and burglaries, without specifying the nature of the stolen objects.
But in the eyes of industry professionals, these thefts are a reality.
"I've heard about it," Pierre-Yves Le Borgn ', vice president of public affairs for Europe at the American company First Solar (FSLR.O: Cotation) told Reuters.
He was speaking to the Ministry of Ecology, on the sidelines of the signing of an agreement between his group and EDF Energies Nouvelles (EEN.PA: Cotation) for the construction of the largest solar panel manufacturing plant in France.
"The panels are stolen to be resold as they are", emphasizes Pâris Mouratoglou, chairman of the board of directors of EDF Energies nouvelles. "In individuals, it is not easy to dismantle, but when you have the time and that you are not disturbed, it is possible".
According to him, thefts are more numerous in Italy, where solar is well developed.
However, no theft was observed in the solar farms of First Solar and EDF Nouvelles Energies, which are protected. "The farms are guarded. There are barriers, guards, a cost for security which is not negligible," notes Pâris Mouratoglou.
When buying, a solar panel costs around 1.000 euros per square meter - for a detached house, you need 1 to 1,5 m2 per person. After...
Reuters news source
