BAM Royal Group and Colas Group subsidiary Wattway have started installing Wattway photovoltaic bike lanes in the Netherlands. The first two bike lanes of 1000 m2 each were ordered by the provinces of North Brabant and North Holland.
Wattway manufactures photovoltaic pavements designed to generate electricity using renewable solar energy that can withstand any type of vehicle traffic.
The goal of the project is to generate clean electricity by sharing road space. The production of photovoltaic energy through transport infrastructure, especially bicycle paths, which are over 35,000 km long in the Netherlands, shows great potential as a new way to produce renewable electricity.
The Wattway project offers a unique approach to renewable energy production. Unlike other solar road or bike path construction projects in the Netherlands, Wattway’s transport photovoltaic panels generating renewable energy are extremely thin and durable. Wattway panels can be glued directly to existing bike routes without the need to open the surface.
Each panel consists of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity. To protect the fragile cells and allow them to withstand the daily movement of cyclists, they are covered with a multilayer lining of resins and polymers. The surface in contact with the tires is also treated to ensure a tight grip. The system also includes an electric cabinet with a battery to store the energy generated by the panels.
The new Wattway units are considered to be more environmentally friendly and profitable, as they have a power output of 148 W/m2. The provinces have set a target for Wattway to produce 160 MWh/year of renewable energy per year, which will help ensure the energy supply of the Dutch grid.
