Noise barriers – «power instead of noise»

Noise barrier systems along roads and rail track offer ideal areas for photovoltaic systems. In 1989, TNC installed the world’s first such system alongside the highway near Chur, stretching just under a kilometer. More than 20 years later, the system is still in operation and delivers more than 100,000 kWh of electricity to the[nodepicker==node/167==Solars%20power%20exchange==%20ewz%20solar%20power%20exchange] every year.
TNC has also broken new ground worldwide in setting up [nodepicker==node/165==Bifacial%20cells%20%E2%80%93%20double-sided%20photovoltaic%20systems==bifacial%20systems%20along%20roads%20and%20rail%20track]. Bifacial solar cells are light-sensitive on both sides. When installed in a north-south direction (with sunlight from the east and west) they can achieve almost the same yield as solar systems that are purely south-facing:

• 1997: world’s first bifacial pilot project on the highway at Aubrugg 
• 2009: world’s first bifacial system along a rail track (Münsingen railway station), TNC patent