What is special about SolaRoad is that it is being developed by a ‘golden triangle’. Industry, research institutions and government are collectively creating innovation: TNO, the Province of Noord-Holland, Imtech and Ooms Civiel are the parties that together form the consortium that is developing SolaRoad.
The consortium
Sten de Wit, innovator at TNO:
‘Co-creation is effective in order to achieve innovation. It has already been shown that the partners can help each other forward, each with their own expertise, capabilities and contacts. Together they create support in the industry, at knowledge institutes and in politics. And together they provide funding in order to make the technology possible.’
Wim van der Poel, project manager at TNO:
‘With SolaRoad, we are making double use of infrastructure: next to a mobility function, roads will now get a (sustainable) energy function as well. SolaRoad will be a starting point. We will generate the energy at the place where it is needed. Using this energy to charge electric cars while they are driving over the road is a beautiful dream, which might become reality. SolaRoad acts as a step towards a closed ecosystem. From mobility through energy back to mobility – which makes the circle complete.’
Gerritjan Valk, Senior Business Developer Smart & Sustainable Energy Systems bij TNO:
‘Pastures and fallow land are increasingly being used to place solar panels, as a result of which renewable energy production competes directly with food production or nature. Thanks to SolaRoad much more space will become available on which you can generate renewable electricity – a big plus in a densely populated region as northwest Europe. This way, we make an important contribution to the sustainability of the Dutch electricity production.’
Paul Rutte, project manager Innovations of Province of Noord-Holland:
‘The province takes part in SolaRoad with one and a half million euros and is by far the largest financier. For the time being, the Provincial Government and the Council have given their trust and they have recognised and supported the possibilities of SolaRoad. It is the largest participation of the Province up to now. A clearer governmental commitment is hardly imaginable.’
Jan Hendrik Kremer, project leader at Imtech:
‘Imtech is strongly represented in the market for alternative energy sources. Participation in SolaRoad means participation in a project that has the potential to yield a lot of electrical energy, in which a significant reduction of CO2 emission is achieved as well. Denmark and Germany are already exhibiting a serious interest, but the real results will especially become visible in the longer term.’
Arian de Bondt, director Ooms Civiel:
‘We believe in the future of infrastructure as a means to generate energy. In the past, we have taken the initiative to extract heat/cold from road surfaces, now we are involved in the next step: electricity. It will be a matter of perseverance and patience in order to come to a marketable concept. The pilot is the first major step in that direction.’
