Consortium brings solar folding roofs to motorway rest areas
Aventron, BG Ingenieure und Berater, Cargo sous terrain and dhp technology have formed a consortium. Together they are equipping motorway service areas in western Switzerland with solar folding roofs from dhp Technology.
The electricity producer Aventron from Münchenstein, BG Ingenieure und Berater from Lausanne, Cargo sous terrain(CST) from Basel and dhp technology from Zizers have founded the consortium ABCD-Horizon to install photovoltaic systems along motorways.
According to a media release, innovative photovoltaic systems will generate electricity at 45 motorway rest areas “in French-speaking Switzerland and the cantons of Valais and Bern”. This electricity will primarily be used for charging infrastructure along the motorways. The total output of the systems is said to be up to 35 megawatts. This amount could supply around 7800 households with an average annual electricity consumption of 4500 kilowatt hours.
The impetus for solar power production on unused areas of motorway service areas and noise barriers came from the Federal Roads Office(FEDRO), according to the press release. In a national tender, the Horizon folding solar roof from dhb Technology was awarded the contract for all motorway service stations in the French-speaking region of Switzerland and in the cantons of Valais and Bern.
The energy generated will reportedly be stored in existing charging points and batteries. The buyers of the surplus electricity are Aventron’s three main shareholders: Primeo Energie, Stadtwerke Winterthur and ewb, as well as CST, which also belongs to ABCD-Horizon.
According to the company, the Horizon folding solar roof is characterised by “an aesthetic lightweight construction with a rope-based support structure concept and a patented folding mechanism”. This allows for wide column spacing and great heights of up to 6 metres above the ground. It also has a weather algorithm so that energy can be generated even in winter. The construction phase is planned from 2024 to 2027.