A recent study by Germany’s Transport Ministry highlights significant potential for installing solar panels along the nation’s motorways.
The analysis identified approximately 250,000 suitable locations for solar energy projects, which could generate several gigawatts of power.
According to the Federal Network Agency, this represents a substantial opportunity to enhance Germany’s renewable energy capacity, which currently stands at 95 gigawatts of installed solar power.
Susanne Henckel, a senior official at the Transport Ministry, emphasised the importance of integrating solar energy into the planning stages of motorway construction and expansion projects.
“Solar generation should be included in the planning of future motorway construction or expansion projects,” she says.
The potential for motorway-based solar energy has been bolstered by legislation passed last year, allowing solar panels to be installed along these routes.
The next phase involves cataloguing available plots of land in collaboration with Autobahn GmbH, the state-owned operator of Germany’s motorway network.
This process will help identify specific sites for potential solar energy development and guide the implementation of this initiative.
