Solar Powered Roadways For Future Energy Production

Kerala is moving full throttle on solar projects. This has set the stage for higher domestic manufacturing and thus lower the cost of solar products. With the consistent availability of sunlight throughout the year (for about 300 days), one of the most unique proposals is the implementation of solar surfaces for roads in India. This has the potential to generate massive megawatts of energy that can power numerous buildings and other infrastructure.

Solar Roadways could change the face of transportation and help to keep the environment clean at the same time. These roads, manufactured partially from recycled materials currently polluting the environment, including trash bags, water bottles, and rubber tires, would generate electricity from solar energy, which would, in turn, be fed into the grid. 

The heart of the Solar Roadway is the Solar Road Panel. Each individual panel consists of three basic layers:

Road Surface Layer - translucent and high-strength, it is rough enough to provide great traction, yet still passes sunlight through to the solar collector cells. It is capable of handling today's heaviest loads under the worst of conditions. Weatherproof, it protects the electronics layer beneath it.

Electronics Layer - Contains a large array of cells, the bulk of which will contain solar collecting cells with LEDs for "painting" the road surface. These cells also contain the "Super" or "Ultra" caps that store the sun's energy for later use. Since each Solar Road Panel manages its own electricity generation, storage, and distribution, they can heat themselves in northern climates to eliminate snow and ice accumulation. No more snow/ice removal and no more school/business closings due to inclement weather. The onboard microprocessor controls lighting, communications, monitoring, etc. With a communications device every 12 feet, the Solar Roadway is an intelligent highway system.

Base Plate Layer - While the electronics layer collects and stores the energy from the sun, it is the base plate layer that distributes power (collected from the electronics layer) and data signals (phone, TV, internet, etc.) "downline" to all homes and businesses connected to the Solar Roadway. The power and data signals are passed through each of the four sides of the base plate layer. Weatherproof, it protects the electronics layer above it.

The Solar Roadway is a series of structurally-engineered solar panels that are driven upon. These Solar Road Panels replace petroleum-based asphalt surfaces: roads, parking lots, and driveways.

The Solar Roadway becomes an intelligent highway infrastructure that pays for itself through the generation of electricity and by doubling as the nation's power grid: an intelligent, self-healing, decentralized power grid.

For more details: Soura Natural Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd.