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The Dutch company BirdBlocker has developed a plastic strip that can be placed under solar panels installed on pitched roofs. The long needles prevent birds from nesting under the modules. The structure is fixed to the frame of the modules with stainless steel clips.
Dutch startup BirdBlocker has developed a system to prevent birds from nesting under rooftop photovoltaic panels. He presented the solution -which reduces the risk of fire and bird droppings- at the Genera fair, held last week in Madrid (Spain).
The BirdBlocker consists of a high-density polyethylene strip with long, interconnected needles. “The strip has needles that sit flush with the roof, making it impossible for birds to get under the solar panel,” explains Hans de Grooth, founder of BirdBlocker, to pv magazine . "There is a bridge between the spires so that the birds cannot pass between them."
The solution comes in a standard version for pitched roofs, as well as another variant with ultra-long spiers for solar panels mounted further from pitched roofs. The needles of the standard version measure 125 mm and those of the longer version, 200 mm.
The solution is fixed to the frames of the modules with stainless steel clips that, supposedly, the birds cannot release. BirdBlocker claims that the clips fit 98% of standard solar panels. It also offers a special clip for modules with box-shaped frames.
The company claims that BirdBlocker is "very easy and quick to install." The product can be installed without dismantling the solar panels, and the needles can be cut to the appropriate length for each roof. The installation does not require screws or drilling in the panels, so it does not affect the guarantees of the panels, according to BirdBlocker.
The manufacturer recommends using their solution for new rooftop installations. Retrofits are also possible, but have a higher installation cost. |
