English 
Français RENEWABLE ENERGY – WILL ELECTRICITY SOON BE GENERATED BY ROOFS ABOVE THE MOTORWAY?
An entrepreneur from French-speaking Switzerland wants to cover Swiss motorways with a structure comprising solar panels and wind turbines installed between the roadside supports. Two pilot sections are set to supply electricity to 32,000 households.
Demand for electricity is rising today and is set to skyrocket in the very near future… Tomorrow…
Combined Energy Plants, installed above already built-up areas such as motorways – this is Laurent Jospin’s brilliant idea for producing 100% renewable energy.
Of course, there are numerous other benefits associated with these installations, tailored to each specific case, as every EnergyPier is configured very specifically to meet the needs of its location – bespoke solutions serving the infrastructure industry.
Undoubtedly one of the major projects of this century in the industrial production of affordable renewable energy.
Alain Farrugia
Let’s be honest: no one would describe the 2,200 kilometres or so of motorways criss-crossing Switzerland as beautiful. At the same time, many people view the solar and wind farms that would be needed to supply Switzerland with renewable energy as an eyesore on our landscape. So, what could be more logical than combining an unsightly piece of infrastructure that has already been built with an emerging technology?
Laurent Jospin came up with this idea around ten years ago whilst thinking about how motorways could be put to good use in energy production. In his view, if sections were covered with solar panels and wind turbines were installed on the sides, a significant amount of electricity could be generated.
Safety first
Following promising preliminary studies, Laurent Jospin approached the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). At the time, Christophe Darbellay, leader of the CVP, had helped him gain access to the office of Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard. The project was then given the green light by FEDRO, providing the necessary impetus for its implementation.
However, a number of factors had to be taken into account during the detailed planning stage. “In the field of traffic, everything revolves around safety,” explains Laurent Jospin. Construction works not related to motorway maintenance must not hinder traffic flow. “Fortunately, in our project there is no increased risk of accidents or traffic delays due to the tunnel effect,” he adds. “Our galleries are higher than normal tunnels and light enters from both sides.”
The installations must also be sustainable and require no maintenance. “The foundations have an estimated lifespan of 150 years, whilst the solar panels will need to be replaced approximately every 30 years,” explains its inventor, who founded the company EnergyPier in French-speaking Switzerland.
Vertical wind turbines are installed in the side openings of the structure and also generate electricity. ©EnergyPier
Two test installations for 32,000 households
Today, the project has entered a new phase. As soon as planning permission is granted, two pilot projects will be set up. In the Knonauer Amt (ZH), a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the A4 will be covered, whilst a 1.6-kilometre-long demonstration project will be built near Fully (VS).
What makes them unique is that electricity is generated not only by solar panels but also by wind turbines positioned between the support columns. These are not driven by the airflow generated by cars, but by the wind blowing freely through the tunnels. A system called Venturi amplifies the wind’s force, ensuring that sufficient energy can be generated there.
Together, the demonstration plants are expected to supply 128 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. This will meet the electricity needs of over 32,000 households. “A 400-kilometre stretch would be enough to cover the output of all Switzerland’s nuclear power stations in 2050,” says Laurent Jospin. Provided, however, that by then, solar panels combined with wind turbines can generate 50 gigawatt-hours per kilometre. Through the demonstration plants, Laurent Jospin also hopes to draw the attention of other countries to his invention.
He also sees other benefits in these superstructures: in winter, the sections of road fitted with them will not be covered in snow, and in summer, the tarmac will not be damaged by UV rays. Furthermore, they provide protection against noise. “The installations are almost as effective as noise barriers,” notes Mr Jospin.
Laurent Jospin, inventor and entrepreneur. ©EnergyPier
Sources:
https://www.20min.ch/story/kommt-der-strom-bald-von-daechern-ueber-der-autobahn-322109103516
