Missouri hopes to have the first solar panel-paved stretch of U.S. highway before the end of the year.
Earth to Everyone,
A stretch of the Route 66 highway in Missouri will be covered with road-designed solar panels - and if all goes as planned, it’ll happen by the end of this year.
The project represents a partnership between Missouri’s Department of Transportation and startup company Solar Roadways, and represents another huge step towards sustainable transportation technology and infrastructure. Solar Roadways claims that if all US roadways and parking lots were covered in their special panels, it would collectively generate three times the electricity needed to power the entire nation.
While the amount of roadway to be covered isn’t set yet, we can assume that it will cover enough distance to generate a decent amount of clean energy. But how can we be sure? Well because there is, surprisingly, a precedent.
In the Netherlands, a solar-paneled cycling path stretching 230 feet has been successfully generating power since late 2014. In its first six months, it created enough power to supply a small home for a year. A year! (you can read more about that here)
There are some big questions which will have to be answered: Can these highways withstand heavy traffic? Are they durable enough to withstand varying weather conditions? How eco-friendly are these panels to produce?
I’m excited to see how this develops, and you should be too.
-E2E
