Solar is popping up just about everywhere, even landfills and parka pockets along with contaminated golf courses near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (pictured on left) . Read more here: Solar energy pops up in unexpected places.
So why not roads? Indeed, solar road projects are gaining interest around the world, and some promise to even charge electric cars while moving.
The Netherlands built the first solar road, a bike path, in 2014. France announced a bolder move in January—over the next five years, it plans to install 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of solar roads, designed to supply power to five million people.
The sun’s rays can hit some roads for up to 90 percent of the daylight hours, so companies in Europe and the U.S. are experimenting with building solar panels along or above roads.
Watch video report here. Also see this article for more detail: Will we soon be driving on solar roads?
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