With so much land taken up by roadways around the world, it makes sense to utilise them for generating solar power.
Earlier this year, we reported on a “solar highway” nearing completion in Germany. In that project, over 16,000 Evergreen solar panels were placed on the roof of a 2.7km tunnel on Germany’s A3 highway.
Another project in the USA state of Oregon was completed in late 2008. The 594 solar panels produce nearly 112,000 kilowatt hours annually and use the utility grid as a battery, supplying energy during the day to light the interchange at night. That project saw the solar panels placed on the side of the road.
A new project, also in the USA, will be installing solar panels in the roadway itself – they will in effect become the road.
Solar Roadways recently announced it has been awarded a US Department of Transport contract to create a prototype of the first Solar Road Panel.
These solar panels will be driven upon with the ultimate goal of replacing petroleum-based asphalt surfaces.
The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded LEDs which “paint” the road lines from beneath and will also be able to display messages to drivers. The panels will include heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice build-up. The company envisions fully electric vehicles to be able to recharge along the roadway and in parking lots.
Solar Roadways estimates that is will take roughly five billion 12 foot by 12 foot Solar Road Panels to cover the asphalt surfaces in the U.S. alone and this would generate three times more power than the US consumes – almost enough to power the entire world.
