Solar power on all roads: UASTW bachelor theses as the basis for Austria’s first solar parking lot

In the municipality of Teesdorf in Lower Austria, a solar parking lot has been under construction since the end of December. The photovoltaic elements for electricity generation are embedded in the parking areas – a concept that is being implemented in this form for the first time in Austria. The starting point for the project was the bachelor theses of two students of the FH Technikum Wien: Alexander Erber and Stefan Savic dealt with the technical and economic feasibility of such a concept in the Austrian context in their final theses in the bachelor program Renewable Energies.

Roads and squares for power generation

The integration of photovoltaics in traffic areas such as roads, paths or squares offers the advantage that already built-up areas can be made usable for electricity generation. An important goal here is to retain the original use, which is why the PV elements must be installed in such a way that they do not impair the flow of traffic or the ability to walk and drive on them. In Teesdorf, 95 m² of parking area will be fitted with 780 PV modules in this way. The system is expected to achieve an output of around 16.6 kW peak, which is about as much electricity as three single-family households need in a year. The parking lot is also well suited for such a project because, in conjunction with an event center, it tends to be used for parking later in the day and in the evening. This ensures sufficient sunlight during the day.

Support from the Climate and Energy Fund

The implementation of the first solar parking lot was made possible by a grant from the Climate and Energy Fund as part of the “Model and Lighthouse Photovoltaic Projects” program. At the beginning of September 2021, the municipality of Teesdorf received the funding commitment as well as confirmation of the innovative character for which the project was awarded the highest possible bonus by the Climate Fund. The state of Lower Austria also provided an extraordinary allocation for the building project. Alexander Erber and Stefan Savic took on the project submission on a voluntary basis on behalf of the municipality.   

High loads as a challenge for PV elements

In Europe, the two students tell us, the first such projects have been underway since 2016/2017, such as a solar road in France and a solar bike path in the Netherlands. “The technology behind it is still changing extremely at the moment,” Erber says. For example, the PV modules used in the project in Teesdorf are already the next generation on the market. In total, there are only seven companies worldwide working on such technologies, he says. “The weight load is the biggest sticking point in the transport sector,” Savic says. Safety is also a major issue with such designs, he adds: after all, people are walking on live equipment here. In addition, the surfaces of the modules are exposed to road salt and grit in winter, and tire abrasion represents a further load; at the same time, the modules must be able to be cleaned and be non-slip.

Therefore, the surface of the PV elements in Teesdorf consists of tempered glass, which is embedded in the ground on plastic elements. The plastics used all come from recycled material – former PET bottles.

Technology with future potential

The two FHTW students see a lot of future potential in the integration of PV elements in traffic areas: The technology enables the production of renewable electricity in urban areas – where demand is increasing due to growing urbanization – without sealing new areas. At the same time, it could provide the necessary technical infrastructure for projects such as “smart roads”. Because PV panels, unlike asphalt, have advantageous thermal properties, they also offer opportunities for avoiding heat islands, which occur primarily in urban areas at the height of summer.
These potentials will be investigated in more detail after the planned completion of the solar parking lot in June. In the competence field “Renewable Energy Technologies” at the FH Technikum Wien, Alexander Erler and Stefan Savic will be conducting an extensive accompanying research project on this topic starting in the summer. The possibilities for a safe area-wide application of this technology will also be further explored in this context.