The critical three-mile stretch - known as the “Missing Link” - between the Brockworth Bypass and Cowley Roundabout in Gloucestershire has long been a bottleneck. This single-lane carriageway leads to frequent and unpredictable congestion, causing many motorists to divert onto unsuitable local roads. As a result, nearby communities face increased traffic, noise, and road safety concerns. Additionally, poor visibility and road design contribute to a high incidence of serious accidents. To resolve these issues, a large-scale and comprehensive improvement scheme has been underway with National Highways and Kier Transportation since early 2023.

Given the site’s ecological and historical significance within the Cotswolds National Landscape, it is critical for Kier to work conscientiously in partnership with the site’s diverse stakeholder community. The area is rich in biodiversity and home to many thriving wildlife species, from bats, birds, to reptiles and badgers, all of which are continuously monitored.

To ensure that sustainable practice is upheld throughout key aspects of the landscape-led design and construction phases, Kier and National Highways are working hard to procure a range of sustainable and cost-effective solutions that adhere to the sensitivities and robust demands of the site.

Efficiently lighting and powering the 40-hectare site is a major and complex operation. Through the roll-out of numerous solar-powered lighting trials across key areas of the site, Prolectric’s solar-first approach has enabled Kier to explore the viability of solar energy and procure highly effective alternatives to traditional diesel generators and tower lighting.  

Successful lighting trials have led Prolectric to install a series of large-scale site-specific solar-powered solutions in a second wave of precision throughout the site. Patented Solar Site Lights with autonomous adaptive lighting have been installed on active road areas, such as roundabouts, and in operational zones requiring reliable illumination for tasks. On-site along the compound’s walkways, solar streetlights have been fixed onto concrete moveable blocks, for ultimate flexibility. Whilst across staff carparking areas, the installation of Permanent Solar Street Lights effectively provide round-the-clock, long-term, maintenance-free lighting, without the need for a mains connection.

With effective solar lighting up and running, Kier has since moved its focus onto realising the potential of solar hybrid power to further reduce reliance on the site’s diesel generators. Within one month, by deploying Prolectric’s ProPower Solar Hybrid Generator in place of a traditional 24/7 diesel unit, fuel savings of over 75% have been achieved, leading to a broader shift towards hybrid power across the site.

An 8-Panel Solar Hybrid Generator has now replaced a diesel unit previously used for the site’s bunker bin overnight accommodation. Whilst reliably powering three accommodation units, the system has also eliminated noise and emissions from the diesel generator. To further ensure an uninterrupted solution, Prolectric has developed an adaptive charge mode, where the integrated diesel backup is able to charge the batteries before 5pm if running low, resulting in a silent night-time operation.

Four additional Solar Hybrid Generators have also been deployed to replace diesel generators powering security huts around the Missing Link site. These generators efficiently provide lighting, heating, and power for laptops, significantly reducing fuel use by matching power output to the actual load requirements. Previously, large diesel generators ran 24/7 despite low energy demand.

The most recent solar solution on-site at the Missing Link project is a Prolectric ProCharge 3-Phase Solar Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which effectively supports a large cabin setup, leading to substantial fuel and carbon savings. At its peak, the system has saved over £200 per day in fuel costs, in addition to significantly cutting operational and maintenance expenses.

Kier’s partnership with Prolectric has already saved the business over £250,000 within just a few months, with projected annual savings exceeding £638,000.

Gavin Jones, Project Director at Kier Transportation – A417 Missing Link, comments: “As a business, we are committed to hugely reducing diesel use on our sites, in line with Kier’s One Planet Action Plan. By adopting Prolectric’s Solar Hybrid Generators and Solar Lighting solutions, we are on track to cut over 800,000 kg of CO2e per year, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and smarter, cleaner construction practices.

“Prolectric’s expertise and hands-on support made this transition effortless. Their solutions have not only helped us meet our sustainability goals but have also set a new benchmark for how we power major infrastructure projects.”

Kathryn Adams, Director of Product, Prolectric, comments: “The A417 is a showcase of all Prolectric’s core product offerings working in tandem to achieve excellent results and significant impact to date.  By reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and maintenance needs, Prolectric’s solutions will continue to enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of the A417 ‘Missing Link’ scheme as the project enters its next phase. The success of this exciting collaboration sets a benchmark for future infrastructure projects looking to adopt off-grid renewable solutions for a more sustainable, low-carbon construction approach.”

Celine Acard, Senior Project Manager for National Highways, said: “We’re always looking to improve how we design and build our major projects, especially in relation to the environment and our commitment to net zero. By investing in innovation, we can explore new technology and solutions to protect and enhance the environment, whilst supporting our workforce to operate safely.”

Serving a wide range of industries from construction, housebuilding, MOD and rail to major infrastructure, as a solar-first business, Prolectric is focussed on setting new engineering standards in solar lighting, power technology and advanced automation software. Since launching the company’s first solar lighting tower, Prolectric has saved its customers over 36 million kg of CO2 and reduced diesel usage by more than 10 million litres, which represents a customer saving of more than £15million.