Photovoltaic + expressway boom! Jiangsu Province: Project maximum reward of 3 million! (High-definition pictures included)

Recently, ten departments including the Ministry of Transport, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the National Energy Administration issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Integrated Development of Transportation and Energy" (hereinafter referred to as the "Guiding Opinions").

The Guiding Opinions point out that by 2027, a multi-departmental coordinated mechanism for the integrated development of transportation and energy will be basically formed, and the policy regulations, standards, and technical equipment systems will be gradually improved. The proportion of electricity consumption in the transportation industry will reach 10%. The installed capacity of non-fossil energy power generation along the transportation infrastructure will be no less than 5 million kilowatts, and the proportion of on-site consumption will steadily increase.
In fact, as one of the main "carbon sources", transportation emissions account for about 10.4% of China's total carbon emissions. Compared with European and American countries, China's transportation industry has the characteristics of low carbon emission ratio, rapid growth rate, and high emission reduction potential. In particular, road transportation accounts for more than 85% of the total carbon emissions from transportation nationwide, and is the absolute main body and key point of emission reduction in the transportation sector. Therefore, the low-carbon transformation and development of the highway industry is of great significance.
 

In recent years, under the positive guidance of national and local government policies, many transportation groups in China have established new energy enterprises.

 

 

"Photovoltaic + expressway" model integrates photovoltaic power generation technology with the expressway system. It utilizes the space of the expressway system, such as highway land, shoulders, ramps, and isolation belts, as well as the space of facilities such as service area building roofs, parking sheds, and walls, to install photovoltaic power generation systems. The generated clean energy can be used for bridge and tunnel lighting and ventilation facilities, service area power facilities, or output to the power grid system. It does not affect the slope structure and traffic safety of the expressway, and utilizes idle resources, realizing the friendly adaptation of new energy and road transportation, and therefore has been widely promoted and applied in recent years.

 

Policy Support

 

Since the "14th Five-Year Plan", support policies have been frequently issued from the national to the provincial level, and relevant departments are also preparing to issue special support policies for distributed photovoltaics + transportation.

 

On January 18, 2022, the State Council issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System", which clearly pointed out that it encourages the reasonable layout of photovoltaic power generation facilities in transportation hubs and along highways and railways.

 

In February 2024, the Ministry of Transport issued the "Key Points of Work for National Highway Service Areas in 2024", which clearly stated that it will focus on the "dual carbon" goals, implement relevant work requirements for green and low-carbon development in the field of transportation and the highway industry, promote the construction of near-zero-carbon service areas, and promote the construction of photovoltaic infrastructure in service areas.

 

In addition to national-level policy support, provincial-level documents including Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, and Hebei have continuously issued documents supporting the expansion of distributed photovoltaic applications in the transportation sector.

 

In May 2023, the Shandong Provincial Department of Transportation issued the "Key Points of Work (Work Plan) for Transportation in 2023", which pointed out that it will accelerate the construction of green transportation infrastructure, improve the layout and application of new energy and clean energy in the transportation field, promote the integrated development of transportation networks and energy networks, encourage the reasonable layout of photovoltaic power generation and energy storage facilities in transportation hubs and along highways and railways, promote the application of photovoltaic power generation on expressway slopes, and comprehensively promote the pilot construction of "zero-carbon" expressway service areas.

 

 

Photovoltaic + Expressway Project Bidding

 

On November 24, 2023, Shanxi Jiaokong New Energy Development Co., Ltd. publicly tendered for the EPC general contracting project of the 200MW distributed photovoltaic power generation project on expressways in Shanxi Province.
It is reported that the bidder is Shanxi Jiaokong New Energy Development Co., Ltd., the construction funds are self-raised by the enterprise, and the project investment ratio is 100%.
The project plans to build distributed photovoltaic power stations in suitable locations such as toll stations and service areas under the jurisdiction of highway operating companies and service area management companies under Shanxi Jiaokong Group. The construction forms include ground (slope) photovoltaics (including fixed brackets, flexible brackets), rooftop photovoltaics, and car shed photovoltaics. The project initially plans a total installed capacity of 200.10475W, with a planned construction period of 12 months.

On December 7, 2023, Hebei Expressway Group Tongqu Technology Co., Ltd. publicly tendered for the design and construction general contracting project of the photovoltaic power generation project on the Zhangcheng Expressway Chengde section.

 

The bidder is Hebei Expressway Group Tongqu Technology Co., Ltd. Similar to the above project, the construction funds are self-raised by the enterprise, and the project investment ratio is 100%.
The project plans to build a total area of 186.2 mu in locations such as interchanges, toll stations, work areas, and tunnel entrances on the Zhangcheng Expressway Chengde section, with a total of 17,058 550Wp photovoltaic modules installed. The installed capacity is 9.3819MW, the average annual utilization hours are 1447.53 hours, and the average annual power generation is 13.58056 million kWh. The "self-generation and self-use, surplus power grid connection" model is adopted. The planned construction period is 4 months.

Guizhou Expressway Group's First Photovoltaic Project Successfully Connected to the Grid
On the morning of March 15, 2024, in the motor room of the Hanlianhua Service Area on the Biwei Expressway, with the staff pressing the start button, the first batch of photovoltaic units of the distributed photovoltaic project (Phase I) on this section of road successfully connected to the grid and generated electricity.

This project is the first photovoltaic project of Guizhou Expressway Group. The average annual power generation can reach 5.83 million kWh, which is equivalent to saving 0.18 million tons of standard coal per year, reducing dust emissions by 11,700 tons, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 4,900 tons.
The Biwei Expressway distributed photovoltaic project was tendered in February 2023 by the Biwei Expressway Operation and Management Center under Bijie Gaofa Company, a subsidiary of Guizhou Expressway Group, and invested and constructed by the New Energy Branch of Datang Guizhou Power Generation Co., Ltd. The project is divided into two phases, with a total constructible area of about 2,400 mu and a total installed capacity of about 91MW. It mainly uses distributed photovoltaic power stations along the Biwei Expressway, including interchanges, toll stations, service areas, parking areas, and slopes. This not only effectively activates the idle resources of the Biwei Expressway area, but also solves the bottleneck problems of power storage, power generation, and grid connection for photovoltaic projects on expressways.

 

Fujian Expressway's First Distributed Photovoltaic Project Located at a Toll Station In 2024, Fujian Expressway's first distributed photovoltaic project located at a toll station—the Xiamen Xiang'an Toll Station distributed photovoltaic power station—officially connected to the grid and put into operation.

 

Xiamen Xiang'an Toll Station Distributed Photovoltaic Power Station Project

 

This project is the first time that Fujian Province's expressways have used the space resources of toll station canopies to lay photovoltaic panels, marking an innovative attempt for the province to build diversified expressway new energy photovoltaic projects.
The Xiang'an Toll Station distributed photovoltaic power station has a total installed capacity of 188.7 kilowatts and an estimated average annual power generation of 207,800 kWh, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 179.71 tons per year. Through the advantages of clean energy, it provides clean electricity for highway service facilities, helping to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the achievement of "dual carbon" goals.
 

According to Xiaobox, previously, Fujian Expressway has built more than 50 photovoltaic power stations in 17 expressway service areas, 33 toll booths, and rooftops and canopies in 8 prefecture-level cities including Fuzhou, Ningde, and Zhangzhou. The investment is more than 75 million yuan, with a total installed capacity of about 13 MW. It is expected to generate 13 million kWh of electricity annually, replacing more than 5,200 tons of standard coal and reducing the emission of harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and dust by about 17,110 tons.

 

Jiangsu Transportation Project Maximum Subsidy of 3 Million
 

As early as 2021, the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Transportation issued a notice on the implementation of green transportation projects in Jiangsu Province. It requires the completion of 10 regional projects in 10 green transportation demonstration counties (cities, districts) and 40 thematic green transportation projects by 2025. Projects that have passed the acceptance by relevant departments and experts will receive appropriate subsidies. The subsidy for each thematic and regional project shall not exceed 3 million yuan in principle.

 

In April 2022, Ninghu Expressway Company acquired 100% equity of Yunshen Qingneng Company. As the "chain-leading" enterprise of Jiangsu Transportation Energy Economy, Jiangsu Yunshen is responsible for the development, operation, and investment of clean energy such as photovoltaics, committed to developing green energy investment and operation management business mainly based on wind and photovoltaic power generation, and is a national leader in photovoltaic applications in expressway service areas, toll booths, and interchanges.

On September 27, 2023, the Dapu Power Station, a distributed photovoltaic project of Yunshen Qingneng in the interchanges of the Eastern Expressway and Ningjingshan Expressway, was successfully connected to the grid.

 

 

After conducting a survey and analysis of the resources of the Eastern Expressway and Ningjingshan Expressway networks, Yunshen Qingneng identified 7 sites with idle land and water areas in interchange ramps to build distributed photovoltaic power generation projects, with a total estimated installed capacity of 25.44 MW. This project is one of them. After the completion of all 7 projects, the cumulative installed capacity of Yunshen Qingneng's photovoltaic projects in the province's expressway network will reach 50 MW.

Zhejiang Wenzhou's First Expressway Roadside Slope Photovoltaic Project

 

In December 2023, the construction of distributed photovoltaic panels at the provincial border toll station of the Wentai Expressway of Zhejiang Transportation Group was completed. This is also the first expressway roadside slope photovoltaic project in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, which is of great significance to the construction of low-carbon transportation and the development of transportation new energy.

 

The project is built on the roadside slopes along the provincial border toll station. It is expected to generate about 2.97 million kWh of clean electricity annually, equivalent to a reduction of about 3,020 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The project covers an area of 25,904 square meters and adopts distributed photovoltaic panel technology. By installing 8,500 monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, a 2.99 MWp distributed photovoltaic power station is built, with a power generation of 115.8 kWh per square meter. According to calculations, the annual power generation of the photovoltaic power station can reach 767,800 kWh, basically achieving green energy substitution for the facilities along the line and nearby villages. It not only effectively utilizes idle space but also plays a role in slope safety management.
Zhejiang Transportation Group has always conducted a comprehensive survey of photovoltaic resources in its road sections, expressway interchanges, parking sheds, and station rooftops. After comprehensive assessment, it has decided to effectively utilize idle resources of expressways without increasing construction land, vigorously develop and utilize solar energy, and effectively promote the application of clean energy in infrastructure.

Shanghai's First Expressway Service Area Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation Project
 

On June 27, 2023, the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission and the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for the Promotion and Application of Photovoltaics in the Shanghai Transportation Sector," which is also the first "photovoltaic + transportation" policy issued nationwide. According to the notice, Shanghai's short-term goal is to achieve diversified application scenarios by 2025, ensuring that the newly added photovoltaic installed capacity in the city's transportation sector reaches 120 MW, and striving to reach 180 MW (this plan does not include the logistics and warehousing sector).

 

The notice also proposes to promote the implementation of "photovoltaic +" demonstration projects. The notice lists "photovoltaic + subway" projects, "photovoltaic + railway" projects, "photovoltaic + airport" projects, "photovoltaic + bus" projects, "photovoltaic + port" projects, "photovoltaic + road" projects, "photovoltaic + expressway" projects, "photovoltaic + parking" projects, and "photovoltaic + other" projects; and clarifies the creation of 8 typical "photovoltaic +" application scenarios.

 

Shanghai's first expressway service area distributed photovoltaic power generation project was successfully connected to the grid two years ago. The photovoltaic distributed power generation project of Changxing Island Service Area on the G40 Shanghai-Wuhan Expressway (Shanghai section) of Shanghai Chengtou Highway Group was officially connected to the grid, opening a new era of new energy application in the service area of Shanghai expressways.

The photovoltaic canopy power generation project of Changxing Island Service Area fully considers the overall planning of the service area's parking area. 231 photovoltaic modules are arranged in the parking area on the west side of the service area, and a single grid connection point is connected to the 380V busbar in the user service area substation. The "self-generation and self-use, surplus power to the grid" mode is adopted to connect to the power grid, with an estimated operating period of 25 years.
 

The commissioning of the photovoltaic canopy project will provide about 120,000 kWh/year for the supporting new energy vehicle charging piles, providing more than 200,000 charging services for electric vehicles, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 92.64 tons/year, equivalent to the emission reduction of 1,800 mu of forest in one day. The "photovoltaic" and "canopy" industrial efficiency extended by the Changxing Island Service Area photovoltaic canopy project, using the clean electricity charging method developed by solar energy, enables it to become a truly green and environmentally friendly vehicle, allowing for worry-free travel.

Anhui's Integrated "Photovoltaic, Storage, Charging, and Swapping" Transportation New Energy Industry Ecosystem

 

In March 2024, the Anhui Provincial Department of Transportation issued a "Reply on the Design Changes of New Energy Supporting Facilities in the Road Area of 9 Projects including the Wu-Yue Expressway," agreeing in principle to the application of Anhui Transportation Control Group for the addition of photovoltaic power generation systems and charging piles and other road area new energy supporting facilities in 9 expressway projects.

 

Specifically, the photovoltaic installed capacity of the Wuhu to Yuexi section of the Shanghai-Wuhan National Expressway is 8.42 MW, and charging pile parking spaces are built in the Qingcao, Lujiang East, and Yuexi East service areas, respectively, at no less than 10% of the total number of parking spaces; the photovoltaic installed capacity of the Anhui section of the Fuyang-Huaibei Expressway is 6.0 MW, and charging pile parking spaces are built in the Gongqiao service area at no less than 10% of the total number of parking spaces.

 

Currently, Anhui Transportation Control is actively building a demonstration project for the new energy corridor of expressways in Anhui Province, scientifically utilizing roadside slopes, tunnel entrances and exits, median strips, toll booth rooftops, hub interchanges, vacant ground in service areas, and parking spaces and canopies to build photovoltaic power stations and supporting energy storage, charging, and swapping facilities. By the end of December 2023, a total of 1,628 charging piles and 26 battery swapping stations have been built in service areas, achieving full coverage of charging and swapping facilities in service areas, with a photovoltaic power station installed capacity of 55 MW, building an integrated "photovoltaic, storage, charging, and swapping" photovoltaic new energy industry ecosystem.

 

In the Feidong Service Area of the Beijing-Taiwan Expressway, 6,000 square meters of photovoltaic panels and 998 665W solar cells are "full of vitality" under the sun, stably outputting green energy, with an annual power generation of 670,000 kWh. The service area has 32 charging parking spaces, with a maximum output power of 120 kW. Fast charging only takes 40 minutes, providing convenience for the travel of new energy vehicles.

Finally

 

With the increasing importance of renewable energy, photovoltaic technology is gradually becoming an important pillar in the field of green energy. Highways, as an important part of the national infrastructure, have a large amount of unused land resources along their routes, providing huge space for photovoltaic installation.
The combination of photovoltaics and highways not only taps the potential of road-derived economy and revitalizes road resources, but also, with the installation of charging piles, small wind turbines, energy storage facilities, and photovoltaic carports in service areas, can create provincial "photovoltaic, storage, and charging" integrated energy supply service areas. The implementation of the project will play an important role in adjusting resource structure configuration, improving resource utilization, improving the ecological environment, and protecting the environment.