Colas and BAM Royal Group, a Dutch construction company, has commissioned two cycle paths equipped with Wattway photovoltaic coating in the Netherlands to support the Dutch grid and enhance green energy efforts.
The project has a surface area of 1,000 m² each and is the first project of this scale in the country.
Companies and local authorities join forces to roll out sustainable solutions The collaboration between Wattway and BAM Royal Group, a preferred partner since 2017, testifies to their technical expertise and shared commitment to roll out renewable energy on mobility infrastructure. These two developments illustrate the efforts being made by the provinces of North Holland and North Brabant to meet their targets in the fight against global warming.
These projects respond to the complex challenge of producing renewable energy despite limited land.
The production of photovoltaic energy by transport infrastructure, and in particular cycle paths stretching over 35,000 km in the Netherlands, represents an attractive potential. It offers a new way of producing renewable electricity that limits the amount of soil artificialisation.
The challenge set by the provinces is for Wattway to produce 160 MWh/year of renewable energy in its first year, helping to supply the Dutch grid. The site will be monitored and maintained for five years.
“Wattway has evolved considerably since its launch in 2015, thanks in particular to the introduction of more than 50 pilot sites around the world. This unique experience in the traffic-ready photovoltaic coating market means that we can continue to make technological and practical advances to improve the life span of our installations and make them more competitive, “ said Laurent Le Boulc’h, Deputy Director for Infrastructure and Intelligent and Sustainable Mobility at Colas.