Solar panels are an increasingly common sight on rooftops and also in standalone ground arrays. But people are starting to embrace the idea of incorporating solar power into other elements of existing infrastructure.
In November, the Dutch company SolaRoad officially opened the world’s first solar roadway in an Amsterdam suburb. It is a 230-foot stretch of specialized concrete embedded with crystalline silicon, which is the material used in many conventional solar cells. The road will be used as a bicycle path for commuters.
There are two layers of safety glass that surround the solar cells which allow the sun’s rays to reach them but protect them from being pounded by bikers. The electricity created by the solar bike path is estimated to be enough to power two or three homes for a full year. The electricity produced will be introduced into the power grid.
The main purpose of the solar bike path is to serve as a test bed. SolaRoad needs to collect data on how well the path performs and from the bikers who cycle over it. Among the questions they need answered are the effects of dirt and grime on the performance of the system.
The long-term hope for such technology is that green roadways could be used to create electricity to power streetlights, traffic signals and even electric cars in their vicinity. Other solar infrastructure projects include the installation of 4,400 solar panels on the top of a bridge over the River Thames in London. Solar power can be generated in many places other than rooftops.
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Solar-Paneled Path Paves Way to Green Homes
Photo, May 20, 2014, courtesy of Tayla Lyell via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.