Irving, TX – November 17, 2021 – The passage of President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill on November 15 makes the timing of the upcoming CLEANPOWER 2021 show even more critical.
Alternative energy facilities have always stood out as an attractive target for thieves, especially in remote areas. That’s why ABLOY Critical Infrastructure USA will emphasize high security smart locking systems during the December 7-8 event at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
ABLOY’s PROTEC2 CLIQ™, ABLOY® BEAT locking solution, and heavy duty mechanical padlocks will be on display in booth 842. Dries Pepler, Vertical Market Manager – Utility & Telecom for ABLOY Critical Infrastructure USA, believes these solutions will be in demand based on their proven track record of success in the field.
”Our products are the perfect solution for the alternative energy industry. That’s why we joined the American Clean Power Association,” he said. “This event is a great opportunity to be front and center with key decision makers who want to improve the security of their properties.”
The American Clean Power Association is a leading federation of renewable energy companies that promotes the advancement of clean energy as the dominant power source in North America. CLEANPOWER 2021 brings together utility-scale, renewable energy companies representing solar, wind storage, and transmission with manufacturers and others involved in the clean energy value chain.
The new infrastructure bill includes funding to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build a clean power grid, and more to improve the country’s resilience to extreme weather and climate change. This includes the development of a 100% carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035, which is expected to create economic opportunities and job growth.
”We have a history of involvement with this industry,” commented Pepler. ”The infrastructure bill will influence and help the industry grow, in addition to addressing the potential new requirements the segment has experienced in the past whenever new legislation is passed. A good example is the solutions used by our utility customers are in compliance with strict North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards.”
NERC regulations were a top priority when bp Alternative Energy chose ABLOY Critical Infrastructure USA to protect nine of its wind farm properties across four states. They have used 1,200 of the rugged PL340 series steel padlocks with secured exec keyways since 2008. Most have shackle lengths of one or two inches to secure turbines, junction boxes, MET access gates and storage connexes, the majority of which are located in remote areas and experience everything Mother Nature has to offer.
”We looked for a lock that was extremely secure while performing under a variety of demanding conditions. I would say ABLOY has lived up to those expectations,” said Stewart Whitman, Performance Manager for bp’s Flat Ridge 1 Wind Farm in Isabel, Kansas. The 15-year wind industry veteran has worked for the company the last 10 years.
”In the five years I’ve managed this farm, we’ve only replaced one lock due to a malfunction. Some locks may go over a year without being opened. Others such as the turbine door locks are opened a minimum of every three months.”
PROTECT2 CLIQ and ABLOY BEAT are the result of ABLOY Critical Infrastructure USA’s 46-year history of developing best in class engineering, design and technology driven innovation. All PROTEC2 CLIQ keys come equipped with time-based functions to provide an audit trail, and are also available as CLIQ™ Connect keys that can be updated via Bluetooth access control.
A digital locking solution, ABLOY BEAT offers operational efficiency. It provides high level security using a novel key, a mobile app and an IP68-rated weatherproof Bluetooth padlock. The padlock is constructed with a case hardened steel body and LED indicators for lock status, and is battle tested to perform in the harshest environments. Stop by booth 842 to learn more about all of the ABLOY solutions for critical infrastructure, or visit www.abloyusa.com.
