Positive Energy Roads

The Issue Identified: This project for the World Road Association (PIARC), aimed to address whether generation of renewable energy from within the road authority in a feasible option. 

The Work Undertaken: A survey was sent to road administrations worldwide using the contacts of the team and with assistance from the World Road Association and Project Oversight Team. The survey was designed to understand the range of interest in relation to PER.

The Outcome: An overview and assessment of potentially applicable renewable energy generation is presented in the report supplemented by a selection of case studies selected to provide a range of technologies and levels of maturity. These demonstrate the availability of technically feasible and economically viable options to support the generation of renewable energy and essentially enable PERs.

The Benefit to the Client: Forward thinking road administrations could use the definitions in the report to firstly assess their energy needs, then set targets for achieving PER and/or offsetting emissions from their activities as part of their contribution towards climate targets. These should be short and medium-term targets to stimulate change. Such actions would stimulate demand for renewable technology, give investors’ confidence and ultimately lower the cost. Equally, it will stimulate R&D into new and improved renewable technologies. Here, road administrations could provide support to those developing innovative technologies to overcome the ‘valley of death’.