What is being billed as the world’s longest solar panel cycle lane in the world opened in the village of Maartensdijk on Wednesday, with the ability to create enough electricity to power 40 homes.

The 330 metre cycle lane is made up of solar panels covered in a protective glaze and is a pilot project sponsored by Utrecht provincial council and construction company Strukton. ‘If it works out well, we will definitely lay more,’ provincial official Arne Schaddelee said.

The cost of the project is put at €1.3m, and that makes it too expensive to replace most dedicated bike lanes with solar panels at present. But if it proves to be a success, the price will come down with mass production.

‘This pilot schemes gives the province room to develop and test new products. And the Maartensdijk solar panel bike bath fits with our strategy to make our roads and bike baths more environmentally friendly and to use less fossil fuel,’ Schaddelee said.

There are two other solar panel cycle lanes in the Netherlands, one in Krommenie north of Amsterdam and one in Haaksbergen.