Switzerland preps solar auction for areas along national roads

Switzerland is planning to offer areas along national roads for the installation of solar panels in a tender at the end of 2022 after the Federal Council approved on Wednesday legal changes that allow the generation of green power in such places free of charge.

The lots to be offered by the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) include noise barriers and rest areas, the Federal Council said in a statement. The authority already uses the land around tunnels and at service sites for power generation to meet its own needs.

With the planned tender, FEDRO aims to tap the potential of the remaining plots along Switzerland's roads which is estimated at 55 GWh per year.

Interested parties will be able to apply for lots at the end of this year. In case of successful application, the winners will have to set up a solar plant within a certain period of time and market the electricity produced by the system on their own.

The auctioning of the areas owned by FEDRO is possible after Switzerland's Federal Council cleared amendments to the National Roads Ordinance (NSV) that allow the use of these areas by third parties for the generation of green power free of charge. The legal changes will enter into force on October 1, 2022, and provide for the deployment not only of solar panels but also other renewable power sources such as wind and geothermal energy.

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