The Netherlands faces major challenges in meeting its climate targets. By 2030, CO₂ emissions must be reduced by 49 percent, and space is limited. This forces us to make difficult choices, choices that will only become more complex in the years ahead. Even if every roof is eventually fitted with solar panels, that alone will not be enough. Should we then sacrifice agricultural land or nature areas for renewable energy generation, accepting changes to our landscapes and views?
Sun on Infrastructure
Solar panels integrated into cycle paths (known as Sun on Infrastructure) may offer an appealing alternative. Although still a relatively expensive concept, the potential is significant: the Netherlands has around 35,000 kilometres of cycle paths. Key advantages include the absence of visual intrusion, no need to use agricultural or nature areas, no change to the landscape, and energy generation close to where demand is highest.
For these reasons, the provinces of North Brabant, North Holland, South Holland and Utrecht are running pilot projects in which solar panels are incorporated into cycle paths. Decisio has developed a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan for these Sun on Infrastructure paths to maximise learning and assess how promising the concept is, and how it may develop in the future.
How do we draw the right lessons?
The M&E plan outlines which aspects need to be monitored for both the cycle‑path function and the electricity‑generation function, and identifies suitable methods for doing so. It also examines whether the baseline measurement provides enough information to conduct financial and societal cost‑benefit analyses, helping determine how attractive this concept could become.
At present, the technology behind Sun on Infrastructure cycle paths is still evolving. It is important to show enthusiasm for the concept, while also recognising that we are at the very beginning of its development, and that this phase is primarily about learning.
