Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Solar cells on roads, a new direction for Europe's energy transition

Together, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands have over 800,000 kilometres of road that could be used for some of our energy needs.

On a 400 metre long stretch of motorway in the Netherlands, sound barriers not only reduce noise, but they also create green energy for 60 local households as they are equipped with solar panels.

This renewable energy pilot scheme has inspired 'Rolling Solar', a European project that aims to create more energy from roads in a cost-effective and efficient way using photovoltaics.


EU Funding


The total cost of the 'Rolling Solar' project is 5.7 million euros and over 2.8 million of this is financed by the European Cohesion Policy. Around 20 industrial partners and laboratories from three countries (Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands) are also part of the project.

In a sound wall in Rosmalen in the Netherlands, they are experimenting with three types of solar cells with the main goal of reducing costs. At Heijmans, a partner of the 'Rolling Solar' project and a real estate, construction and technology company, they test these new panels.

Innovation manager at Heijmans, Stijn Verkuilen, believes solar cells in roads and in sound barriers are "a very useful solution for the energy transition" because they make double use of land and space. They give existing structures a secondary function.

Cross Border Cooperation


Another of the project's goals is to develop sustainable cross-border collaboration and share skills across research and industry sectors. In a laboratory in Eindhoven, thin and flexible photovoltaic cells made from silicon-cadmium are being developed in various forms. The objective is to move from custom-made to mass production.

Peter Toonssen, the project leader at 'Rolling Solar', describes what they do in Eindhoven as pre-development on a small scale of the end product. They test small size equipment to check its resistance to all kinds of environmental influences, like moisture and various kinds of gases that are normally in the atmosphere. This is done to check the products will last. Once this is ascertained, they produce the technology on a larger scale.

In Genk in Belgium, there's another photovoltaic sound barrier on the Energyville campus. Three different types of solar cell units are connected to the grid there. Temperature and mechanical deformations are closely measured. The next stages are also already being considered there.

Michael Daenen, professor at Hasselt University a partner university of the project, says there are still some hurdles to producing energy from roads and sound barriers. There are still some doubts as to who owns the energy they produce and who might maintain the panels in the case of an accident.

He believes that these matters will be tackled in follow-up projects. For now, at Energyville campus, they are concentrating on "making it cheaper, making the legal aspects go away and focusing on business economical models."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×