Silent revolution in energy production
1,25 million square meters – that’s the area of the noise barriers produced and installed by the Kohlhauer Group. 200 MW – this would be the output of a combined installation of VOLTA® panels if they were installed on all our barriers. Until now, noise protection has been associated with a costly expense. But it can also be an investment in renewable energy!
By installing VOLTA® panels in all noise barriers produced by the Kohlhauer Group, 140 GWh of electricity could have been annually produced. If we gathered them in one place, it would become the second-largest solar farm in Poland. Although the vertical setting of noise barriers and their location in terms of the south, collectively reduce efficiency by an average of one-third in comparison to optimal setup.
The power of such dispersed installation, assuming full coverage of the barriers with our panels equipped with 460 Wp modules, would be approximately 200 MW. Meanwhile, the record-breaking solar farm in Zwartowo in Pomerania – the largest one in Central and Eastern Europe, launched in 2022 – had a capacity of 204 MW, reaching 290 MW after expansion. This example highlights the immense potential of photovoltaic systems integrated with noise barriers, despite the fact that the road or railway course and building locations primarily determine the level of sunlight exposure.
A vertical power plant has a significant advantage – it requires zero square meters of additional area. VOLTA® panels are installed on existing or new barrier structures, maintaining their noise-reducing function. The mentioned Zwartowo farm, covers an area of 300 hectares, and the second-largest farm in the country in Brudzew “only” 100 hectares (with a capacity of 70 MW). Even though the land used by farms is of low quality, installing such a system excludes any other activity on that site.
More and more clients are asking about the possibility of replacing the “old” panels with VOLTA® elements. Additionally, a significant portion of new projects now include the option to produce electricity while simultaneously providing noise protection. Examples? The Polmlek plant in Lidzbark Warmiński, noise barriers in Sindelfingen near Stuttgart or installations in Munich.
