Photovoltaic panels installed on highway pavement

Can solar panels be used on a road?

While there have been several high-profile PV road projects across the globe, most have relied on solar panels placed directly into the pavement – and have been plagued with high build and maintenance costs as well as the solar materials struggling to keep up with the wear and tear of vehicle loads.

What is a highway photovoltaic system?

Schematic diagram of the highway photovoltaics (PV) system. Roofing highways with solar panels generates green electricity that is delivered to the grid to replace the electricity from fossil fuels, thereby contributing to CO 2 e emission reductions.

What is photovoltaic pavement?

To deal with this issue, the concept of photovoltaic (PV) pavement is emerging, . It regards the modified photovoltaic modules as one part of the road structure, equipped with the inherent function of electricity generation and vehicular traffic support. The core advantage of this technology is the non-extra land occupation.

Is photovoltaic pavement a viable energy harvesting technology?

Recommendations for its future development are proposed in six aspects. As an emerging energy harvesting pavement technology, the photovoltaic (PV) pavement, which combines mature photovoltaic power generation technology with traditional pavement facilities, can make full use of the vast spatial resource of roadways.