Solar power joined pedal power in Amsterdam on Wednesday.

A short stretch of the bike path connecting the city's suburbs of Krommenie and Wormerveer has been embedded with solar panels that could potentially produce enough electricity to power three houses.

Henk Kamp, Netherlands' Minister of Economic Affairs, and Provincial-Executive Elisabeth Post cycled the first few metres of the path to mark the completion of the scheme, which is the world's first public road with embedded panels.

Press release: minister Kamp opens SolaRoad Netherlands — SolaRoad (@SolaRoadNL) November 12, 2014

Constructed by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) at a cost of some €3.5 million ($4.4 million), the SolaRoad is around 100 metres (328 feet) long, and comprises concrete modules of 2.5 by 3.5 metres (8 feet by 11.5 feet), with solar cells laid under a glass top in one direction. In the other direction, different kinds of top layers have been added.

In the Netherlands, the world's first solar bike lane http://thkpr.gs/3591195 — Climate Progress (@climateprogress) November 12, 2014

The path is not adjustable — that might knock a few commuters off their bikes — so it doesn't have the production power of rooftop panels, and produces around 30% less energy.

However, if successful, the scheme could be adapted for around 20% of the Netherlands' 140,000-km (87,000-mile) road network, according to the Guardian.

U.S. startup Solar Roadways has also been testing out the concept. Idaho couple Julie and Scott Brusaw converted their parking lot into solar-panelled units, and have raised around $2.2 million thanks to a viral YouTube video. They expect their first public installation will be ready by next spring.