It doesn’t work in the Alps: now the highways must become solar highways

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With the “Solar Express”, Parliament wanted to make progress in the field of solar energy and financially support the construction of solar energy projects in the Alps. But this goes against the grain for many communities: Ilanz GR and Saanenland BE have scuttled plans for two solar systems. The municipalities of Surses GR and Hasliberg BE have also issued cancellations this week.

The solar offensive must now make a new attempt on highways. The Federal Roads Office (Astra) approved this in July. Private companies in particular should promote this in the form of noise barriers, parking lot covers and projects at gas stations along the highway.

“There is great interest in building photovoltaic systems along national roads,” Jérôme Jacky of Astra told Tamedia newspapers. Of the approximately 350 noise barriers and 100 projects at rest areas, most of the approximately 350 noise barriers have been awarded to private individuals to build them. The profit is also promising: with the additional electricity profit, around 12,000 households can be supplied with electricity.

Promising solar highways

Solar highways are particularly productive: parts of the highway are covered with solar panels. The federal government is currently looking for suitable road sections to carry out such projects. Two smaller solar highways are planned in Neuenhof AG and Leuzigen BE. Laurent Jospin and his company Servipier want to expand the existing highway gallery there with sunroofs.

Jospin is confident: “If there are no objections, we could theoretically expect the building permit before the summer holidays,” he told the Tamedia newspapers. It remains to be seen whether his plans will really happen so quickly: further clarifications are needed and an entry in the regional structure plan of Knonau ZH, where another major project is planned.

There is also space between the tracks

Rail transport should also gain ground in the solar offensive. The Swiss start-up Sun-Ways wants to install solar panels between railway tracks. The national rail network can produce an estimated one terawatt hour of solar energy per year. This corresponds to approximately two percent of Swiss electricity consumption.

However, the International Railway Association warns of possible problems: solar panels between train tracks can lead to an increased risk of fire, additional noise and light reflections that can be annoying for train drivers, writes Swissinfo. (zac)

Source:Blick