Solar roads are one of many solar power projects that you can find. Solar roadways have endured many trials and tribulations, from American startups to French prototypes. What’s the latest technology? Are we likely to see them soon? Let’s consider their importance and see if they are worth the money.
Solar Road Professions in the United States
The home front is a slow process. The benefits of paving all the roads in the United States with solar road tiles need to be increased to justify Solar Roadways’ Route 66 experiment. The streets have other features but must be more relevant to the main issue: Impractical.
Safety concerns are also present, as well as high costs. Solar roads have yet to be a viable option in the United States. But they’re not alone in giving it a shot. China, France, and the Netherlands are all involved in their projects.
The Shandong Project, China
China has opened a solar road measuring one kilometer in length to explore new uses for solar panels. Solar roads’ future doesn’t seem promising: China’s data indicates that the plan is not viable to generate large amounts of electricity annually.
It’s not worth the investment at over $ USD equivalent per sq. foot. They don’t produce enough electricity. Solar power could power an entire nation, but it is still far from being applied to a road project. The cost of solar power is dropping worldwide, but there has yet to be much progress with low-cost road panels. (Read more about Solar Panels Prices at PowerScout.com).
The French Wattway
ARS Technica called it the “World’s First Solar Road,” and France leaped in 2014. In the Normandy village of Tourouvre au Perche, the solar road was strategically located in an area that could have been sunnier.
Solar roads are too expensive at the moment to be implemented. Solar avenues may not be as feasible as they seem, but they are still viable.
The Dutch Solar Bicycle Path
The Dutch developed a solar path using a slightly different method aimed at cyclists rather than automobiles. The results were far better (in terms of durability) after the top layer came off the road in its first year. This forced them to replace the material with one that was more durable. The road panels tested in laboratories had some issues, but I gained valuable insight.
The numbers still need to add. SolaRoad in the Netherlands could have been purchased for 520,000 kilowatts. It generated only 3,000 kilowatts of electricity in its first year. Durable, yes. Sustainable? Not quite.
Will we see solar roads expanding?
These projects will not be implemented everywhere. Solar panel roads have been tried in many countries but have yet to see a return.
There are also safety concerns since you ride on textured glass. Eric Weaver, from the Department of Transportation in the US, states: “We cannot say that this would be safe for vehicular road traffic.”
Solar roads melt snow and power streetlights. In the case of “Solar Freakin’ Roadways,” they even eliminate the need for asphalt to be painted with yellow and white lines by using LED lights instead. The features may seem impressive, but it could be a better investment.