I always say it starts with ambition when someone thinks I am dreaming about a future project. Well, that is nothing compared to the dream the team from the Solar Roadway has!

It starts with ambition

And ambition is what they have plenty of! Paving all the roads with solar panels. Build in LED lights to inform drivers of hazardous situations, build in heating to melt the snow away by using electricity generated from the same panels. Even adaptable parking spots.

You can find more information about the Solar Road at solarroadways.com. They are actual designing, testing and making solar roads. Have a look at their website for all the examples and support they have received to far.  Have a look for yourself what you think of their ambition.

Solar road construction

A solar road is basically build from several layers. Most important of all, if you compare it to traditional solar panels, a solar road has to be as strong as a real road. You can’t really have it break down after one truck or busses drives over it. Their dream is to fill up all the highways. But even smaller roads, bicycle and pedestrian paths have huge potential.

 

So will it be strong enough?

This little tractor shows that this panels are definitively as fragile as traditional panels. Will they be strong enough to sustain trucks going 80 km/h is a whole other question.

 

 

Projection

They have some very cool artist projection made of solar roadways. Anyone can imagine the amount of electricity the endless highways through the desert can generate.

 

Feasible?

The most important question of course is: Is this project or idea feasible? So far the first tests look very promising. Especially in smaller scale projects like parking lots, bicycle and pedestrian paths and even driveways. I am sure there is a market for people who hate getting rid of the snow every year…

I am very interested to see the progress of this project. Even though it has nothing to do with boats, it is still very green and technology developed in this project could perhaps be used in the nautical sector in the future too.