France to start the "solar road" construction plan

Traffic lights manufacturers about the "solar road" construction plan

French ecology, sustainable development and the Department of energy minister Segolene Royal, recently said that France plans within five years to build 1000 km long "solar road", the use of solar energy for the city to provide power. The bidding work of France "solar highway" plan has been launched, relevant technical test will begin from this spring.

In October last year, France's Bouygues group engaged in transportation infrastructure COLAS company announced, after five years of research, the company with the French national solar energy research the joint development success with a polymeric resin bonded photovoltaic battery Road, namely the use of polymeric resin, the thickness of only 7 mm small solar panels are spliced and bonded on the surface of the road. Using this innovative, highway to bask in the sun will be transformed into electrical energy, electrical energy by hiding in underground storage device is transported to the city power grid, so it is called "solar highway".

"Solar highway" don't need new highways, there is no need for the original highway reconstruction, just put a piece of thin solar panels like floor tiles like shop in the original road surface, and stamp made of resin material of high strength transparent plate in the upper layer to resist the pressure brought about by the vehicle. This PV cell road is suitable for all kinds of road, and can withstand a variety of vehicles, including heavy vehicles. At the same time, in the solar panel transparent "protective layer" on the increase of the particle structure, so that it can ensure the adhesion of the traditional road is quite, does not affect the normal running of the vehicle. COLAS company had on the development of the "solar road" was tested, the results of 1 million vehicles and no damage to the road traffic.

"Solar road" to provide clean, renewable energy, it has no occupation of agricultural land, do not change the natural environment and other advantages. At the same time, compared with other power generation methods, the "solar road" price is competitive, and the price of ordinary solar energy is.

Research shows that only 10% of the road is the time of the vehicle, most of the time in the sun, so the "solar energy" potential unlimited. According to the French environment and energy control department, the length of 1 km of "solar road" to support a small town with 5000 residents of the daily public lighting electricity. In addition, solar road can also for traffic signal lights, electric vehicle charging pile, household electric power transmission. Estimates show that 20 square meters of solar power is enough to supply electricity to a French family, 100 square meters of "solar road" a year can be an electric vehicle driving 100 thousand kilometers of electricity.

COLAS plans to trade this innovative technology from this year, and full of confidence in its business prospects. Experts believe that the solar road is conducive to the construction of smart city, and to provide a new power supply may be for some of the village far away from the power grid.

At present, the photovoltaic cell technology has been patented. But the original concept of combining roads with solar power is not from France. As early as more than a decade ago, a couple of American engineers put forward this idea, and created a solar energy company, the U.S. government's support. Holland has also begun in 2014 of a total length of about 70 meters of the solar cycle lanes, is still in the testing stage.

At the end of last year, the Paris Conference on climate change, the law has been to the parties to represent the demonstration of the "solar energy" technology, has received widespread attention. Solar road project is also an important measure of the French government in the Paris agreement through the force after the push of the green areas of important initiatives, hoping to lead the world to further sustainable development.

The above information is provided by the manufacturer of the traffic lights at the traffic lights