Solar Roadways: What They Are and What New Technology They Could Provide

Recently, China unveiled an astonishing solar highway. It was so astonishing, in fact, that thieves wanted a piece of it and tried to steal it right off the road! Since then, China has begun to unveil multiple new solar roadway innovations, including one that is even able to charge a car. In an age of chargeable vehicles, this seems like the ideal solution to needing to plug into a wall every night when getting home from work. Even better, it may pave the way for innovations in our driveways, which would make it even easier to have our vehicles constantly charged up and ready to go.

What was the purpose of bringing solar onto the road?

Though we often don’t think about it in our modern world, roads are an unavoidable part of our daily life. In the U.S. alone, they cover about 4 million miles. With something so vast and important to our every day, it makes sense that bringing new technological innovations to an older system of travel would be a consideration.

A solar road is installed similarly to a traditional road, in which blocks are placed down until they create an even surface that’s able to be driven on. Unlike a traditional road, which uses materials like asphalt to achieve this, a solar road is a large module that contains many photovoltaic panels. These panels work just like the ones on a rooftop - the sun’s rays are absorbed inside of them, which creates the photovoltaic effect and converts cells into energy. They would not only be able to provide electricity to street lights and chargers, but they would also be able to heat up themselves, which would remove the issue of snow on our roadways. They could also help prevent crime with the use of a pressure sensor, which would allow a homeowner to be aware of someone in their driveway - including that UPS driver that left the package at the door and didn’t ring the bell.

Not only do these solar roadways have all these benefits, but they’re also long-lasting. Just like their rooftop counterparts, they are able to withstand large amounts of weight and the elements and will have a long life before needing to be replaced.

How a Driveway is a Smart Consideration

When building solar roadways, driveways are often the last things considered. Solar panels placed on highways and other areas containing large amounts of congested traffic is usually the first. However, a driveway powered by solar can add many benefits to one’s daily life. As mentioned earlier, having a sensor on a driveway could mean the difference between a break-in and catching someone before they’ve even made it to the window. A driveway able to charge cars could save someone a lot of hassle by not having to worry about whether or not their car is getting charged. The heat from the solar driveway would help someone avoid the problem of being snowed in and unable to get out of their driveway. It would also mean they wouldn’t have to wake up hours earlier to shovel snow. It could even be used to power a driveway’s light and lessen the possibility of the light going out in the middle of the night when they need to take out the trash - if the panel is charged, that light will stay lit all night long.

Want to learn more about exciting technologies and innovations in solar technology? Check out the HahaSmart blog!

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