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

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

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

The two bike 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 an unfamiliar 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" program to test the feasibility of solar power on road infrastructure. The program includes the deployment of solar installations along highways and noise barriers. 

Due to the scarcity of land, the Dutch authorities are trying to find ground for the deployment of large-scale photovoltaic power plants. 

In recent years, research institutes and private companies have tried to demonstrate the feasibility of building solar projects on nonagricultural land, including dykes, rooftops, and onshore and offshore water.

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Source : www.pv-magazine.com