There is still a lot of work to be done to make flexible solar cells on Dutch crash barriers profitable. Costs must be reduced and efficiency increased. But the potential of flexible foil containing solar cells remains enormous. In short, this is the conclusion of TNO after 1 year of testing along a stretch of motorway near Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands.
The project “Modular E-cover for Smart Highways” (MESH) has been carried out by the province of North Holland, TNO, Solliance Solar Research, Heijmans, Femtogrid, and the Hogeschool Amsterdam.
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1200 kilowatt hours
The E-cover is placed as a kind of box on the guardrail. On top of that comes the solar foil. And on top of that a cover that, among other things, ensures that motorists are not blinded. Photo TNO
What was particularly disappointing was the power yield. This amounted to 1200 kilowatt-hours (kWh) for a stretch of 72 meters, whereas 1800 KWh per year was expected. According to TNO, this is mainly due to the protective cover, which stands in the way of optimal operation of the solar cells. This needs to be improved.
Another point of concern is the costs. “To be able to generate profitable and sustainable energy with an
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