Europe’s first solar-covered biking path has made its debut within the German metropolis of Freiburg, within the Black Forest – right here’s the lowdown on the pilot venture.

German utility service supplier Badenova, together with its companions, the Metropolis of Freiburg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photo voltaic Vitality Methods, put in the biking path’s photo voltaic roof on the Freiburg Exhibition Heart, close to the Freiburg FC soccer stadium. The 300-meter-long (984-foot-long) set up is made up of 900 translucent photo voltaic modules made by German panel maker Solarwatt. Freiburg-based Clickcon supplied the mounting buildings.

The photo voltaic roof will generate 280 MWh per yr, and that can primarily be utilized by the Fraunhofer Institute’s laboratories. Badenova mentioned in its announcement that the cycle path’s photo voltaic roof might be introduced on-line within the subsequent couple weeks. 

Dr. Karolina Baltins at Fraunhofer Institute, who heads up its PV energy vegetation workforce, mentioned, “We not solely use the solar energy of the cycle path cover, however we’re utilizing the data gathered from the pilot venture and incorporating it into our analysis with a purpose to reply the varied questions for PV in city areas.”

It’s a win-win: The solar-covered biking path signifies that cyclists are sheltered from the weather whereas they pedal with no emissions, and the shelter makes clear power. That is undoubtedly a pilot that ought to be emulated all over the place.

Learn extra: Six Flags is about to put in one of many largest photo voltaic carports within the US

Photographs: Badenova

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