Photovoltaics
First solar road inaugurated
The world's first solar road has been launched in France. The 1 km long and 2 m wide road with an area of 2,800 square meters is equipped with particularly stable photovoltaic modules, which were developed using a completely new method.
Each module panel is 7 mm thick and consists of square solar cells made of polycrystalline silicon with an edge length of 15 cm, which convert solar energy into electricity. They have been provided with a protective surface that cars and trucks can drive over without destroying the cells. A bus stop equipped with solar panels and a fast charging station have also been installed.
Electricity generation is estimated at 280,000 kWh per year, i.e. an average of 800 kWh per day, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of electricity used to light a community of 5,000 inhabitants.
The aim of this large-scale project is to test the efficiency and durability of the solar road with a medium volume of cars and trucks (the road was chosen, among other things, because it is only used 20% of the time).
This world's first solar road gives an idea of the contribution that road networks could make to the energy transition and green growth. Among other things, it could avoid the use of agricultural land to generate electricity.
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