A case study of the installation of a solar powered double gate automation project at a waste management company, Agrivert.
As the newest tenant in their Surrey based industrial plant, Agrivert need to access the site out of hours, when the gates are locked for security; and with a number of contractors visiting the site overnight, the ability to operate the gates and provide an intercom to a remote out of hours ‘phone, was required.
The installers were Kent-based company Green Gate Access Systems, whose Managing Director, Neil Sampson says: “The solar powered double gate automation with six-way GSM intercom, key code and daily open timer gives an overall 14 metre automated entrance. Self-locking, the gates have an extra solenoid lock to hold them in the ‘close’ position and are fitted to the very latest safety standards with the use of resistive safety edges and infra-red beams.
“The gates have also been subjected to a full force test as specified by BS EN 12445. With solar panels designed to operate the gates up to 100 times per day (even mid-winter), the solar, combined with the GSM intercom allows the gate automation full capability of operating at this busy, high-security site without any power. As the nearest power supply is over 400metres away, this provides the most cost effective solution for everyone concerned.”
Agrivert converts food waste from London restaurants and businesses in an anaerobic digester, which is converted into methane and then electricity. The plant has the capacity to process about 45,000 tonnes of organic waste each year and generate 2.4 megawatts of electricity – enough to supply more than 4,500 homes.
Operations Manager at Agrivert, Charlie Berridge says: “From start to finish, the entire collaboration took just under two weeks, in which time, there were a great many ‘out of hours’ calls with Neil! I would thoroughly recommend his expertise to others.”
Visit www.greengateaccess.co.uk.
