For the longest time ever, solar panels were typically placed on top of roofs to allow it to get access to as much sunlight as possible. However in recent times, various companies have been working to bring solar panels to roads where since a lot of surface area is covered by roads, it makes sense that solar panels could be placed there as well.
For those who are hoping for a greener 2017, you’re in luck because Wattway, a subsidiary of Bouygues SA, has announced plans to begin larger scale testing of solar panel covered roads in 2017. These locations include the French village of Tourouvre in Normandy, Calgary in Canada, and also in the US state of Georgia. There are also plans to eventually expand it to other regions like Africa, Japan, and throughout the European Union.
According to the company’s CTO Philippe Harelle, “We need to test for all kinds of different traffic and climate conditions. I want to find the limits of it. We think that maybe it will not be able to withstand a snow plow.” The company has also figured out a way to make these solar panels resist the wear and tear of cars driving over them.
This is accomplished through several layers of different types of plastics, and is topped by an anti-slip surface made from crushed glass. This is actually not the first time we’ve heard about solar panel covered roads, but this probably has to be one of the biggest tests at the moment.
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