The world’s first solar highway has been opened in France, in the not-very-sunny village of Tourouvre au Perche in Normandy. The roadway is just one kilometre (0.6mi) long, but that still works out at 2,800 square metres of photovoltaic cells—enough, hopefully, to power the village’s street lights.

The road was built by Colas, a large Anglo-French construction company. Colas has apparently been working on its own solar road tech, called Wattway, for at least five years. Wattway has been tested in car parks, but this is the first time it has been used on an active road. There will now be a two-year test period, to see if Wattway can withstand the rigour of being pounded by thousands of cars and trucks per day, and whether it can actually provide a useful amount of electricity.

Usefulness aside, the main problem with constructing solar roads is their crippling cost. One of the main selling points of Wattway, according to Colas, is that each panel is just a few millimetres thick, and can thus be installed on top of an existing road, which in turn massively reduces construction costs. Having said that, the 1km road in Normandy cost €5 million (£4.3m) to build. And that’s for a single lane of a two-lane highway!


http://www.energywatchng.com/worlds-first-solar-road-opens-france-ridiculously-expensive/

Its not cost effective. Heavy duty vehicles cannot ply the road

The road is lucky not to be in Nigeria........

im for feel Dangote Trucks!!!

Who says ....they're not lawless like we here

mostyg:
Its not cost effective. Heavy duty vehicles cannot ply the road

But why construct solar roads? Is it that they lack space?

Of what use is this road abeg?

Engineering joke!

Sibrah:
But why construct solar roads? Is it that they lack space?

Funny question

That's actually a huge experiment happening in your life time, if is passes the test it'll become standard for nations that can afford it


Meaning its not space they lack, this is an innovation

d

I guess wheel friction and the heat generated build electrical energy......
They have a reason for doing this, they always do.

PatriotTemidayo:
I guess wheel friction and the heat generated build electrical energy......
They have a reason for doing this, they always do.

How's what you described solar?

EgunMogaji:


How's what you described solar?

Ask them bros.....
Technology changes constantly, they have their reasons. Simple!

PatriotTemidayo:

Ask them bros.....
Technology changes constantly, they have their reasons. Simple!

I don't have to ask them because I'm educated.

What you described, "wheel friction and the heat generated build electrical energy" is not solar energy being created. In Nigeria or anywhere else.

Yes they do have their reasons.

This is rubbish in my opinion and wouldn't last long. Much worst if they is a problem with some of the panels it would be difficult to spot that out and replace it. I don't think the solar road is one entity of solar power but hundreds or thousands of panels assembled together, Finding a fault would be precarious. This will eventually end up as Art or some sort of decoration.

EgunMogaji:


I don't have to ask them because I'm educated.

What you described, "wheel friction and the heat generated build electrical energy" is not solar energy being created. In Nigeria or anywhere else.

Yes they do have their reasons.

I have no time for argument Prof, since you're educated and we are not, please tell us.

PatriotTemidayo:

I have no time for argument Prof, since you're educated and we are not, please tell us.

It's not my job to educate you.

You are surfing Nairaland on a smartphone

this is the main problem with Nigeria...We have a very critical and condemning disposition about other peoples progress, none of the posters above even appreciated this obviously great technological feat, instead we condemn! haba guys, this is years of research for crying out loud.
learn to appreciate good things...they always go to those who appreciate them.

ugonology:
this is the main problem with Nigeria...We have a very critical and condemning disposition about other peoples progress, none of the posters above even appreciated this obviously great technological feat, instead we condemn! haba guys, this is years of research for crying out loud.
learn to appreciate good things...they always go to those who appreciate them.

that's all they are good at...condemn ,criticize and lampoon...simple toothpick they cannot produce!!!

I'm trying to come to terms with this innovation?

What do they hope to achieve, the article says useful amount of electricity..

i) for what purpose?
ii) Let's say for street illumination, why not not just construct panels on the street light stands?

agrovick:
I'm trying to come to terms with this innovation?

What do they hope to achieve, the article says useful amount of electricity..

i) for what purpose?
ii) Let's say for street illumination, why not not just construct panels on the street light stands?

Solar paneled side walks wud be better

This has been in the works for a long time. The value of a solar road is that EVs can be recharged from the power generated from those panels while parked. Essentially, while your car is parked on the road while you are at work, it will be getting charged though at a lower voltage. As a matter of knowledge though I cannot give a definite source, there is an ongoing project of a solar road that will charge EVs through induction.

By going solar, it will reduce air pollution, noise pollution, and generally improve the quality of air sort of. These are just obvious benefits, I'm definite that there are other additional benefits too that will definitely improve the quality of life in the location such is sited. All these things are the results of extensive planning, inclusive consultation and deliberations and future considerations.

MyGeneration:

Solar paneled side walks wud be better

That is still subject to getting spoilt through human actions.

Crieff:
This has been in the works for a long time. The value of a solar road is that EVs can be recharged from the power generated from those panels while parked. Essentially, while your car is parked on the road while you are at work, it will be getting charged though at a lower voltage. As a matter of knowledge though I cannot give a definite source, there is an ongoing project of a solar road that will charge EVs through induction.

By going solar, it will reduce air pollution, noise pollution, and generally improve the quality of air sort of. These are just obvious benefits, I'm definite that there are other additional benefits too that will definitely improve the quality of life in the location such is sited. All these things are the results of extensive planning, inclusive consultation and deliberations and future considerations.

You are saying the roads are designed for electric cars?

agrovick:


That is still subject to getting spoilt through human actions.




You are saying the roads are designed for electric cars?

Yes, particularly, EVs and other public transportation system that are electric-powered. Alternatively, power generated from the solar road could also feed into the national/regional power grid during off peak periods.

ugonology:
this is the main problem with Nigeria...We have a very critical and condemning disposition about other peoples progress, none of the posters above even appreciated this obviously great technological feat, instead we condemn! haba guys, this is years of research for crying out loud.
learn to appreciate good things...they always go to those who appreciate them.

That's why we can't produce anything

Those who are quick to condemn the innovations of others are slow to put their ideas to a test out of fear that theirs will be condemn as they condemned others