Check Out This Amazing Innovation: Solar-Powered Roads!

Imagine driving on roads that not only provide a smooth surface but also generate electricity! Solar-powered roads are a groundbreaking innovation that combines transportation infrastructure with renewable energy. These roads are embedded with solar panels that capture sunlight and convert it into electricity, which can be used to power streetlights, traffic signals, and even nearby homes.

One of the most exciting features of solar roads is their ability to melt snow and ice, thanks to heated panels, making driving safer during winter. Additionally, these roads can include LED lighting for lane markings and signals, enhancing visibility and safety.

Turns Out A Road Made Of Solar Panels Was, In Fact, A Bad Idea - They don't repair well, don't angle to the sun, and get covered by leaves, and are noisy

 The French government in conjunction with the company Colas built a one-kilometre long road covered in solar panels in a small village in Normandy for $5.2 million. Protected with silicon and resin, the thinking went it could withstand the punishment from thousands upon thousands of vehicles while generating electricity for nearby homes.

 The French newspaper Le Monde reported that, after two and a half years, some things have gone wrong:

* The road had to be shortened by 100 meters because a portion was too damaged to be repairs

* The protective resin is peeling off the portion that remains

* Leaves and trees fall onto the panels and, you know, block the sunlight

* The noise from cars and trucks driving over the panels is so loud the speed limit had to be reduced to about 45 miles per hour

* It is generating less than half of the electricity expected because the panels could not be angled directly at the sun and Normandy isn’t exactly known for its year-round sunshine

 New ideas certainly need to be tested out but this one has not proved to be very efficient given the costs.

 See https://jalopnik.com/turns-out-a-road-made-of-solar-panels-was-in-fact-a-b-1837472544

 #solarroads #solar #environment

Solar Energy

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