Photovoltaic noise barriers

An efficient way of noise prevention by application of photovoltaic modules was first demonstrated in Switzerland in 1989. Later, the solution was applied also in some other European countries. Different photovoltaic noise barriers can be built considering motorway features, barrier construction, the height of the barrier, and other factor influence (environment etc.). Modules are fixed on the main barrier (a wood or a solid barrier) in different ways, such as vertical, tilted fixed as a zigzag construction etc.

Photovoltaic noise barriers worldwide

Power
  		Location  [1] Description  [2] On Grid Image
3 MW Germany,
Mühlsdorf, Thuringia 		A4 Motorway 2012
2.65 MW Germany,
Goldbach/Hösbach, Bavaria 		A3 Motorway
Image: Ralos 		2009 Noise barrier Aschaffenburg, courtesy Ralos
1 MW Germany,
Wallersdorf, Bavaria 		A92 Motorway 2017
1 MW Germany,
Bollberg, Thuringia 		A4 Motorway 2015
1 MW Germany,
Töging am Inn, Bavaria 		A94 Motorway 2007
833 kW Italy,
Oppeano 		S.S. 434 Transpolesana
Image: FAR Systems 		2010 Noise barrier Oppeano, courtesy FAR Systems
730 kW Italy,
Marano d'Isera 		A22 Motorway
Image: FAR Systems 		2009 Noise barrier Marano, courtesy FAR Systems
718 kW Germany,
Freising, Bavaria 		A92 Motorway
Image credit: Gehrlicher Solar 		2003–2009 Noise barier Freising, courtesy Gehrlicher Solar
365 kW Germany,
Freiburg 		Noise barrier B31 2006
283 kW Germany,
Bürstadt, Hesse 		Noise barrier B57
Image credit: SolarArt 		2010 Noise barrier B57, courtesy SolarArt
262 kW Switzerland,
Domat/Ems 		A13 Motorway
Image: pvresources 		1989, repowered in 2019 A13 noise barrier, Switzerland, credit pvresources
216 kW The Netherlands,
Amstelveen 		A9 Motorway
Image: pvresources 		1998 A9 noise barrier Amsterdam, credit pvresources
180 kW Germany
Vaterstetten, Bavaria 		Noise barrier along railway tracks 2004
123 kW Switzerland,
Melide, Tessin 		Gothard Motorway 2007
104 kW Switzerland,
Giebenach 		A2 Motorway 1995
103 kW Switzerland,
Gordola 		Noise barrier along railway
 1992
101 kW Austria,
Gleisdorf, Styria 		A2 Motorway 2001
100 kW Germany,
Sausenheim 		A6 Motorway 1999
95 kW Germany,
Reundorf, Bavaria 		Noise barrier along railway 2020
90 kW Germany,
Biessenhofen 		Noise barriere Nestle facility 2010
89 kW Switzerland,
Zumikon 		Forchstrasse, Zumikon 2014
80 kW Switzerland,
Safenwil 		A1 Motorway 2001
75 kW Germany,
Schwäbisch Hall, Baden Würtemberg 		Reinhold-Würth-Airport noise barrier 2008
63 kW France,
Foquiere 		A21 Motorway 1999
60 kW Germany,
Saarbrücken 		A620 Motorway
40 kW + 20 kW 		1995
55 kW The Netherlands,
Utrecht 		A27 Motorway 1995
53 kW Germany,
Emden 		A31 Motorway
Image: EWE AG 		2003 A31 noise barrier, courtesy EWE AG
52 kW Germany,
Neuötting, Bavaria 		Noise barrier B12
 2016
40 kW Austria,
Seewalchen 		A1 Motorway 1992
30 kW The Netherlands,
Pijnacker-Nootdorp, South Holland 		Noise barrier N470 2017
30 kW Germany,
Walchstadt am Ammersee, Bavaria 		A96 Motorway 1997
30 kW Germany,
Rellingen, Schleswig-Holstein 		A23 Motorway 1992
28 kW Germany,
Großbettlingen, Baden Würtemberg 		"Stoiadler III" noise barrier 2006
24 kW Australia,
Melbourne 		Tullamarine-Calder Interchange, Essendon Airport
Image credit: Climate Managers 		2007 Noise barrier Tullamarine- Calder Interchange, Essendon Airport Melbourne, courtesy Climate Managers
12 kW Switzerland,
Münsingen 		Noise barrier along railway 2008
10 kW Switzerland,
Zürich, Bruttisellen 		A1 Motorway 1999
10 kW Switzerland,
Zürich, Aubrugg 		A1 Motorway 1997
9.6 kW Switzerland,
Zürich, Walliselen 		Noise barrier along railway 1998
7.544 kW Germany,
München, Pasing 		Transparent noise barrier
Image credit:
ertex solar 		2013 Transparent noise barrier, München, Pasing, courtesy ertex solar

Notes

[1] Power is specified in MWp if DC array power is known. If DC array power is unknown than output power is specified. In some cases it is unclear if the power plant power is output or DC array power.
[2] Not all of mentioned PV noise barriers are still in operation. List is not complete. All entries are given "as is" without warranties of any kind.

Photovoltaic noise barrier along A13 in Switzerland

In 1989 the world's first photovoltaic noise barrier alongside the B13 motorway near Chur, Switzerland was commissioned. In 2019 the system was repowered and enlarged and it delivers now more than 300 MWh of electricity annually to the public grid.

Commissioned 1989, repowered in 2019
Rated power 100 kW, 262 kW repowered
Annual yield 100 MWh, repowered 330 MWh
Number of modules 2208 Kyocera, 782 LG modules
Total PV area 968 m2, 1339 m2 repowered
Module mounting Tilt angle 45°, 25° toward E
Utility interconnection Siemens central inverter, ABB repowered

TABLE 1: Photovoltaic noise barrier along A13, Switzerland


PV noise barrier A13, Switzerland, credit: pvresources PV noise barrier A13, Switzerland, credit: pvresources

Photovoltaic noise barrier along A13, Switzerland
(Image credit: pvresources)

Photovoltaic noise barrier at the A9-motorway, the Netherlands

large photovoltaic (PV) energy system has been integrated into a noise barrier at the A9-motorway near Ouderkerk aan de Amstel (Amsterdam), the Netherlands. The PV-system consists of 2160 modules with module inverters.

Commissioned 1996
Rated power 220 kW
Annual yield 176 MWh
Number of modules 2160 Shell Solar cSi modules
Total PV area 2200 m2
Module mounting Tilt angle 50°
Utility interconnection 2160 module inverters

TABLE 2: Photovoltaic noise barrier at the A9-motorway


PV noise barrier A9, the Netherlands, credit: pvresources PV noise barrier A9, the Netherlands, credit: pvresources

PV noise barrier at the A9-motorway, the Netherlands
(Image credit: pvresources)


Books and brochures

Eiffert, Patrina and Gregory J. Kiss. 2000. Building-Integrated Photovoltaic; Designs for Commercial and Institutional Structures - A Sourcebook for Architects, NREL/BK-520-25272.

Prasad, Deo and Mark Snow (eds.). 2005. Designing with Solar Power: A Source Book for Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). London, Sterling, VA: Earthscan. ISBN 1-844071-47-2.

Reports

Clavadetscher, Luzi and Thomas Nordmann. 1999. 100 kWp Grid-Connected PV-Installation along the A13 Motorway in Switzerland - Plant Monitoring and Evaluation - Operation and Maintenance, Annual Reports for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, 1990 to 1999. Project No. 32046.

De Jong, Mine. 2015. Solar Highways Benchmark Study. An overview and evaluation of existing photovoltaic noise barriers. SEAC, January 2015.

Nordmann, Thomas, A. Frölich and Luzi Clavadetscher. 2002. Drei integrierte PV-Schallschutz Versuchsfelder, Bau und Erprobung. Schlussbericht PV P+D, DIS 17225 / 59391, Dezember 2002. Erlenbach: TNC Consulting AG.

Solar Highways, Final Report LIFE13ENV/NL/000971,

TNC. 1999. EU PVNB POT: Evaluation of the Potential of PV Noise Barrier Technology for Electricity Production and Market Share. Thermie B Project. Project Number: SME 1479-97, Final Report Volumes 1&2, TNC GmbH, Freiburg, 29 June 1999.

Van der Borg, N. J. C. M. and M. J. Jansen. 2001. Photovoltaic noise barrier at the A9-highway in the Netherlands. Results of the monitoring programme. Report, ECN-C--01-021, Nuon International, EU Commission, February 2001. Also included in the pvdatabase.

Papers

Clavadetscher, Luzi and Thomas Nordmann. 1992. Voraussage und Effektiver Ertrag der 100 kW Netz-Verbundanlage N13 nach 2 Jahren Betrieb. Poster. In: Siebtes Nationales Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 18–20 March 1992, pp.411–418.

Clavadetscher, Luzi and Thomas Nordmann. 2000. 100 kWp Grid-connected PV Plant A13 in Switzerland - 10 Years and 1,000,000 kWh Later. In: Sixteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1–5 May 2000, Volume 3, pp.2249–2253.

Goetzberger, Adolf, Thomas Nodrdmann and Georg Hille. 2000. Das Potential von Photovoltaik auf Lärmschutzwänden in Europa. Poster. In: 15. Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 15–17 March 2000, pp.455–460.

Grottke, Matthias, T. Suker, R. Eyras, J. Goberna, O. Perpiñán, Andreas Voigt, A. Thiel, M. Spendel, Klaus Gehrlicher, G. Frisen, R. Gambi and K. Kellner. 2004. PV Soundless - World Record "Along the Highway" - A PV Sound Barrier with 500 kWp and Ceramic Based PV Modules. In: Nineteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Paris, France, 7–11 June 2004, Volume 2, pp.2102–2104.

Grottke, Matthias, Andreas Voigt and Franz Hartl. 2010. PV Soundless – Keeping the World Record "Along the Highway" – Performance Gain by Repowering Part of a 718 kW PV Sound Barrier After 6 Years of Operation. In: 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Valencia, Spain, 6–10 September 2010, pp.5028–5031. DOI 10.4229/25thEUPVSEC2010-5BV.4.25.

Hille, Georg and Killian Reiche. 1996. Potential der Photovoltaik auf Lärmschutzwänden an deutschen Verkehrswegen. In: 11. Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie. Staffelstein, Germany, 13–15 March 1996.

Nasse, Wolfgang, Kai Ksinsik, Günter Dehme, Rudi Klöckner and Burchard Decker. 2004. Lärmschutz und Solarstrom - die innovative PV-Lärmschutzwand an der A31 in Emden. In: 19. Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 10–12 March 2004, pp.312–319.

Nordmann, Thomas, Luzi Clavadetscher and Raimund Hächler. 1989. Realisation of a 100 kW Grid-connected PV Installation Using the Sound Barriers along a Motorway in the Swiss Alps. In: Ninth E. C. Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Freiburg, 25–29 September 1989, pp.669–678.

Nordmann, Thomas, Luzi Clavadetscher and Raimund Hächler. 1991. 100 kW Grid-connected PV Installation along Motorway and Railway. In: Photovoltaic Demonstration Projects, Proceedings of the Fifth Contractors' Meeting, Ispra, Italy, 22–24 May 1991, pp.133–141.

Nordmann, Thomas, Raimund Hächler and Luzi Clavadetscher. 1991. 100 kW Grid-connected PV Installation along Motorway and Railway. In: Biennial Congress of the International Solar Energy Society, Proceedings, Denver, Colorado, USA, 19–23 August 1991, Volume 1, pp.131–136. DOI 10.1016/B978-0-08-041696-0.50030-9.

Nordmann, Thomas and Adolf Goetzberger. 1994. Motorway Sound Barriers: Recent Results and New Concepts for Advancement of Technology. In: IEEE First World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1994. Waikoloa, HI, USA, 5&njdash;9 December 1994, Volume 1, pp.766–769.

Nordmann, Thomas, Thomas Bähler and Adolf Goetzberger. 1995. Photovoltaik-Schallschutz-Integration: Neue Konzepte und erste Messresultate. In: 10. Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 15–17 March 1995, pp.173–177.

Nordmann, Thomas and Adolf Goetzberger. 1995. Motorway Sound Barriers: The Bifacial North/South Concept and the Potential in Germany. In: Thirteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Nice, France, 23–27 October 1995, Volume 1, pp.707–709.

Nordmann, Thomas, Andreas Frölich and Luzi Clavadetscher. 1997. Eight Years of Operation Experience with Two 100 kWp PV Soundbarriers. In: Fourteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, 30 June – 4 July 1997, Volume 1, pp.1124–1127.

Nordmann, Thomas, Andreas Frölich, Kilian Reiche, Gerhard Kleiss and Adolf Goetzberger. 1998. Sechs 10 kWp Testanlagen für integrierten PV-Schallschutz. Erste Betriebserfahrungen und Meßresultate aus Deutschland und der Schweiz. In: 13. Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 11–13 March 1998, pp.175–180.

Nordmann, Thomas, Kilian Reiche, Gerhard Kleiss, Andreas Frölich and Adolf Goetzberger. 1998. Integrated PV Noise Barriers: Six Innovative 10 kWp Testing Facilities - A German/Swiss Technological and Economical Success Story! In: 15th European PV Solar Energy Conference, 27th US IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference, 10th Asia/ Pacific PV Science and Engineering Conference Proceedings, Vienna, Austria, 6–10 July 1998, Volume 3, pp.2486–2491.

Nordmann, Thomas, Andreas Frölich, Martin Dürr and Adolf Goetzberger. 2000. First Experience with the Bifacial PV-Noise Barrier. In: Sixteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1–5 May 2000, Volume 2, pp.1777–1783.

Nordmann, Thomas, Andreas Frölich, Adolf Goetzberger, Gerhard Kleiss, Georg Hille, Christian Reise, Edo Wiemken, Vincent van Dijk, Jethro Betcke, Nicola Pearsall, Kathleen Hynes, Bruno Gaiddon and Salvatore Castello. 2000. The Potential of PV Noise Barrier Technology in Europe. In: Proceedings of the 16th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1–5 May 2000.

Nordmann, Thomas and Luzi Clavadetscher. 2004. PV on noise barriers. In: Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Volume 12, Issue 6, pp.485–495. DOI 10.1002/pip.566.

Nordmann, Thomas, Thomas Vontobel and Luzi Clavadetscher. 2012. 15 Years of Practical Experience in Development and Improvement of Bifacial Photovoltaic Noise Barriers along Highways and Railway Lines in Switzerland. In: 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Frankfurt, Germany, 24–28 September 2012, pp.3843–3847. DOI 10.4229/27thEUPVSEC2012-5DO.7.2.

Nordmann, Thomas and Thomas Vontobel. 2020. 28 Years of Operational Data for a Utility Scale 103 kWp PV Plant (1989-2017) Analysis of Degradation of PV Modules, Inverters and System Performance with Technical and Economical Comparison to the Repowered 260 kWp PV Plant (2017-2019). In: Proceedings of the 37th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, Online event, 7–11 September 2020, pp.1405–1408. DOI 10.4229/EUPVSEC20202020-5DO.5.3.

Reiche, Kilian, Adolf Goetzberger, Andreas Frölich and Thomas Nordmann. 1996. Integrated Photovoltaic Sound Barriers (PVS) - Results of the International Competition. In: Internationales Sonnenforum (EuroSun) Proceedings, Freiburg, October 1996, pp.839–847.

Reiche, Kilian, Adolf Goetzberger, Andreas Frölich and Thomas Nordmann. 1997. Integrated PV Sound Barriers: Results from the International Competition and Realisation of Six 10 kWp Testing Facilities. In: Fourteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, 30 June – 4 July 1997, Volume 2, pp.1604–1607.

Reinders, A. H. M. E., A. E. Alsema, E. A. Sjerps-Koomen and V. A. P. van Dijk. 1997. A 52 kWp PV Sound Barrier System - Performance during the First Year. In: Fourteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, 30 June – 4 July 1997, Volume 2, pp.1842–1846.

Schauer, Gerd, Michael Friess, Peter Korczak and Andreas Szeless. 1998. 10 Years' Operational Experience of Joint Utility Siemens PV Projects in Austria. In: 15th European PV Solar Energy Conference, 27th US IEEE Photovoltaics Specialists Conference, 10th Asia/Pacific PV Science and Engineering Conference Proceedings, Vienna, Austria, 6–10 July 1998, Volume 3, pp.2837–2840.

Schlangen, J. and R. C. van Puffelen. 1994. Integration of PV in a Dutch Soundbarrier. In: Twelfth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Amsterdam, 11–15 April 1994, Volume 1, pp.885–886.

Schlangen, Rupert, Wolfgang Walle and Franz Heinrich. 1996. Integration einer netzgekoppelten Photovoltaikanlage in eine schallreflektierende und -absorbierende Lärmschutzwand. In: 11. Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 13–15 March 1996, pp.201–205.

Schmidt, Rupert, Wolfgang Walle, P. Wünsch and Franz Heinrich. 1995. Integration of a Grid-Integrated Photovoltaic System into a Sound-Reflecting and a Sound-Absorbing Noise Protection Barrier. In: Thirteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Nice, France, 23–27 October 1997, Volume 1, pp.550–553.

Ter Horst, Emil, J. T. N. Kimman and E. Lysen. 1995. Large-Scale Urban PV Projects in the Netherlands, four pilot projects in urban areas. In: Thirteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Nice, France, 23–27 October 1997, Volume 2, pp.1796–1799.

Van Mierlo B. C., B. C. Oudshoff and M. J. Uitzinger. 1997. Social Acceptance of an Integrated PV-Sound Barrier in the Netherlands. In: Fourteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Barcelona, Spain, 30 June – 4 July 1997, Volume 1, pp.908–911.

Van der Borg, N. J. C. M., E. Rössler and E. B. M. Visser. 2000. A Traffic Noise Barrier Equipped with 2160 AC Modules. In: Sixteenth European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 1–5 May 2000, Volume 3, pp.2651–2653.

Wilk, Heinrich. 1992. 40 kW Photovoltaic System with IGBT Inverter on the Soundbarriers of Motorway A1, Seewalchen-Austria. In: Eleventh E. C. Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference Proceedings, Montreux, 12–16 October 1992, pp.1038–1041.

Wilk, Heinrich. 1992. 40 kW Photovoltaik auf der Autobahn – Schallschutzwand Seewalchen/Österreich. Poster. In: Siebtes Nationales Symposium Photovoltaische Solarenergie, Staffelstein, 18–20 March 1992, pp.531–540.

Magazines

Röpcke, Ina. 2007. Stille um die Lärmschutzwand. In: Sonne Wind & Wärme, Issue 12, pp.100–105.

Links

web PV database
web Solar Highways
web PV Highway Noise Barriers Project, by. P. Kleeman
web TNC, PV Schallschutz Anlagen