So you think solar panels are ✨ugly✨? Then why don't we put them somewhere already ugly!
Solar cells on noise barriers can cover the electricity consumption of tens of thousands of households☀️
At a time when politicians are struggling to find space for solar cells, a DTU study shows that the potential is great if you utilize noise barriers along motorways and railways🛣️
Along the Holbæk motorway at Vallensbæk, a seven metre high and over two kilometre long noise barrier will soon be ready. It will of course protect citizens from traffic noise, but if it were equipped with solar cells, it would also supply them with green electricity🌱
The same could be done for the remaining 200 kilometres of noise barriers along the Danish motorways and railway network, which would annually deliver electricity corresponding to the consumption of 18,000-27,000 households if they bore solar cells, our estimate shows.
One of the big advantages of this combination is that the noise barriers offer themselves as supporting structures for the solar cells. This is significant, as the supporting structure and installation usually make up 20-30 percent of the price of setting up a solar cell system💸
Vejdirektoratet is already in the process of 'initial investigations', which include gathering existing knowledge about what technical solutions are available on the market and the possibilities for connecting solar noise barriers to the electricity grid.
"It will be exciting to find out if it’s worth it. At DTU Electro, we are ready to participate in projects where we can test the solution and have an ideal testing area for this,” says researcher Sune Thorsteinsson.
Read Ingeniøren’s article on the matter (in Danish). Find the link in the comment section👇
📷: Frederik Marcher Hansen/Ingeniøren
#solarpower #solarpanels #noisebarriers #sustainability #renewableenergy
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