North Brabant, a Dutch province, has announced the start of construction for a ground-mounted solar cycle path along the provincial N285 road near Wagenberg. The 500-meter-long solar bike lane will have 600 solar panels integrated into the asphalt top layer.
The provincial government's primary goal for this project is to gain more experience with the deployment of solar cells on bicycle paths. To that end, provincial government experts will assess the resistance of the solar modules to the mechanical stress caused by the presence of pedestrians and bikers, the costs for their maintenance, and the energy yield of the PV system over a 5-year period.
This solar bike lane is part of a larger project called “Zon op Infra,” a Dutch government plan aimed at testing the viability of solar power production on road infrastructure. The plan includes deploying solar installations along highways and on noise barriers.
See also: Solar-Covered Cycling Path Debuts in Freiburg, Paving the Way for Sustainable Transportation
Solar roads are not new in the Netherlands, as a bike path near Amsterdam was equipped with solar panels in 2016, and another one was built in 2020 in the province of Utrecht. However, the feasibility and economic viability of solar roads remain controversial.
The Dutch authorities are struggling to identify surfaces to deploy large-scale PV plants due to land scarcity. In recent years, research institutes and private companies have attempted to prove the feasibility of solar projects on non-agricultural land, including dikes, rooftops, onshore and offshore water surfaces.
The construction of the solar bike lane in Wagenberg is a positive step towards a sustainable future, as it not only provides a clean energy source but also encourages the use of bicycles for commuting, which reduces carbon emissions from vehicles.
