The challenge

Gloucestershire’s A417 “Missing Link” is a critical three-mile, single-lane stretch of road between the Brockworth Bypass and Cowley Roundabout that has long been a significant bottleneck – causing congestion, diverting motorists onto unsuitable local roads and contributing to a high incidence of serious accidents. A large-scale road improvement scheme is underway to resolve these issues.

Set within the Cotswolds National Landscape, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the 40-hectare construction site demanded an approach that could maintain safe, reliable operations while reducing emissions, noise, fuel use and disruption to local communities and protected wildlife. Varying power loads and the need for dependable overnight operation added to the challenge.

The solution

Prolectric, Kier and National Highways developed a solar-first lighting and power strategy focused on trialling, validating and scaling renewable off-grid solutions across the site. Instead of conventional diesel generators and tower lights, more than 80 solar lighting, hybrid power and battery storage units were deployed.

Early adoption enabled Prolectric to attend site survey meetings before the project broke ground, allowing a tailored delivery programme to be developed with environmental performance embedded from the outset.

How the project works

Renewable lighting and hybrid power technologies were trialled in live construction conditions before being rolled out more widely across the site. This phased approach reduced risk and ensured operational reliability; early trials validated the technology quickly, enabling the team to scale confidently without disrupting programme delivery.

Live monitoring, adaptive charge modes and careful matching of hybrid systems to actual load requirements ensured reliable performance while minimising unnecessary fuel use. Remote monitoring also improved asset management and reduced the need for servicing and refuelling visits, lowering operational risk and vehicle movements.

The results

In the last year alone, Prolectric’s solutions have eliminated 833,689kg CO2e, avoided 270,574 litres of diesel and generated £638,180 in operational cost savings. Hybrid deployments achieved fuel reductions of more than 75%, while a single three-phase solar battery energy storage installation delivered peak savings of 400kg CO2e and more than £200 per day.

Solar lighting removed the need for trenching and mains connections, reducing site disturbance, while Dark Sky-approved lighting minimised light spill to help protect sensitive wildlife. Quieter hybrid and battery systems improved conditions for site staff and reduced noise for neighbouring communities. Gavin Jones, Project Director at Kier Transportation Major Projects, said: “The transition was seamless, delivering significant cost savings without compromising performance. These technologies are setting a new standard for powering major infrastructure projects.”

Kier, Prolectric and National Highways will continue to expand the use of hybrid and battery applications across the site, using performance data to optimise deployments and further displace diesel – creating a replicable blueprint for lower-carbon construction on future infrastructure projects.