China says it has opened, successfully tested, the world’s first solar highway designed to generate energy as well as handle traffic.
The solar road developed by the Qilu Transportation Development Group, was opened Thursday in Jinan, the capital city of China’s Shandong province – a year after the project was initially launched. The move has been hailed by the developers as “another major breakthrough in the field of photovoltaic pavements.”
The solar road is made up of an insulating layer on the bottom, photovoltaic panels in the middle, and transparent concrete on top.
The panels, covering 5,874 square meters, have a total installed capacity of about 800 kilowatts, according to the project developer.
Electricity produced by the test section will be used to power highway lights, sign boards, surveillance cameras, tunnel and toll gate facilities.
Surplus power will be supplied to the state grid, Xu Chunfu, the group’s chairman told Xinhua.
In the future, it’s hoped the innovative panels will allow wireless charging for electric vehicles, melt snow and provide internet connection. The photovoltaic road section also features ports with access to the information collecting devices...MORE AT: Renewable Now.com
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