Forschungsprojekt: BarSolPot

Nationwide cadaster for the solar potential of photovoltaic systems on noise and wildlife barriers

The Institute of Geography of the University of Heidelberg, Chair of GIScience and the company geomer assess the Germany wide potential of photovoltaics applications for noise barrier walls at federal highways. The research project is performed on behalf of the BASt - Federal Highway Research Institute.

The multifunctional use of roadside constructions offers a high potential for cost-reductions for constructing and maintaining noise barriers. This research project aims at assessing the economic potential of combining photovoltaic systems with noise barriers alongside federal highways to improve governmental and private planning processes. In this joint effort with the Federal Highway Research Institute, the company geomer and the GIScience group of the University of Heidelberg are developing new methods and modeling tools to calculate the solar potential for existing or projected noise protection constructions.

By combining 3D LiDAR technologies with 2D data modeling techniques, the potential for photovoltaic systems can be assessed on a wide range of conceptual and geometric scales, from best placement on single wall elements up to the national level.