Solar cycle paths are set to make a sustainable contribution to the energy transition in the Netherlands. One system can apparently produce up to 160 megawatt hours of energy per year.
The expansion of renewable energies is continuing apace. In addition to solar parks, wind and hydroelectric power plants, new innovative methods are also being developed to effectively generate sustainable energy sources. A new example of the creative use of solar modules was recently demonstrated by a project in the Netherlands.
There, the two companies Colas and the BAM Royal Group equipped two cycle paths with an innovative Wattway photovoltaic coating. The paths each cover an area of 1,000 square meters and are located in the provinces of North Brabant and North Holland. The project is the first of this size in our neighboring country.
Solar cycle paths in the Netherlands promise great potential
Wattway and the BAM Royal Group have been working on a joint solution for six years. The main objective was to integrate renewable energy into the existing mobility infrastructure. The developments are part of the efforts of the provinces of North Holland and North Brabant to achieve their climate targets.
At the same time, the technology offers an innovative solution to the challenge of producing renewable energy in a limited space. The use of cycle paths for photovoltaic energy generation promises great potential.
After all, cycle paths in the Netherlands have a total length of over 35,000 kilometers. In addition, this type of power generation reduces the amount of soil sealed by new infrastructure.
Project partners hope to generate 160 megawatt hours in the first year
The technology behind the cycle paths was presented back in 2015 and has been continuously developed since then. The output of the Wattway technology has increased from 119 watts peak to 148 watts peak per square meter. In the first year, the project managers aim to produce around 160 megawatt hours of renewable energy to support the Dutch power grid. Maintenance and monitoring of the cycle paths will initially take place over five years.
Now that more than 50 pilot sites have been set up worldwide, Colas and the BAM Royal Group consider the system to be ready for series production. In the next step, the project partners want to further optimize the technology in order to achieve the longest possible durability under everyday conditions.
