Solar-powered bike lanes go online in the Netherlands

Dec,26,2023

namkoo solar

Two new photovoltaic cycle path projects are currently operating in the Netherlands, according to an initiative launched by the Dutch national water authority Rijkswaterstaat in 2018.

The French company Colas and the Dutch building contractor BAM Royal Group have completed two cycle paths equipped with photovoltaic modules in the Netherlands.

The two cycle paths are located in the provinces of North Brabant and North Holland and cover an area of 1,000 square metres each.

The photovoltaic module technology offers a power generation efficiency of 21 per cent per square metre. The solar cells are protected by multiple layers of resin and the electrical structure is designed to reduce the amount of wiring.

The two cycle paths will generate 160 MWh of renewable energy throughout the first year. Both projects are part of an initiative launched in 2018 by the National Water Authority, part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment.

Solar highways are not a foreign concept in the Netherlands. in 2016, solar panels were installed on a cycle path near Amsterdam, and another new solar-powered cycle path was built in Utrecht in 2020. However, the feasibility and economic viability of solar highways remains controversial.

The Dutch government is also developing the 'Zon op Infra' programme to test the feasibility of solar power on road infrastructure. The plan includes the deployment of solar installations along motorways and noise barriers. 

Due to the scarcity of land, the Dutch authorities are endeavouring to find ground for the deployment of large-scale photovoltaic plants. In recent years, research institutes and private companies have tried to demonstrate the feasibility of building solar projects on non-agricultural land, including dykes, rooftops, onshore and offshore water.