Colas trials 'solar road'

Colas is in discussions with clients who have suitable sites where the highway services provider could trial its solar road solution, Wattway. Colas says that the solar panels that make up the photovoltaic road surfacing technology are lightweight and strong and can be installed on top of an existing road surface. The panels are only 7mm thick and are applied on the surface with a high performance resin. A glass bead resin coating is also applied to allow the surface to provide acceptable frictional perf
October 26, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
184 Colas is in discussions with clients who have suitable sites where the highway services provider could trial its solar road solution, Wattway. Colas says that the solar panels that make up the photovoltaic road surfacing technology are lightweight and strong and can be installed on top of an existing road surface.

The panels are only 7mm thick and are applied on the surface with a high performance resin. A glass bead resin coating is also applied to allow the surface to provide acceptable frictional performance without significantly affecting the efficiency of solar panels.

Carl Fergusson, Colas executive director of strategy and development, said the first trial is underway in France and UK trials will form part of about 100 world-wide. According to Colas, the power generated by Wattway has the potential to be used for highways and transportation infrastructure, such as variable message signs and street lights. But it also could be returned to the grid or used to supply energy to nearby homes and businesses. It is particularly well suited for smart-grids and short-circuit electricity production, as the need for new sources of energy and electric mobility continues to rise.

Each solar panel is an array of 15cm-wide cells making a very thin film of polycrystalline silicon that transforms solar energy into electricity. These extremely fragile photovoltaic cells are made tough by coating them in a watertight multilayer substrate composed of resins and polymers. This covering is translucent enough to allow sunlight to pass through but resistant enough to withstand even large-vehicle traffic.

The composite is also designed to adapt to the pavement’s natural thermal expansion. The surface that is in contact with vehicle tyres is treated to ensure skid-resistance equivalent to conventional asphalt mixes. Electrical connections can be installed at the edge of the carriageway or in ducts integrated in the panels themselves. Lastly, electronic circuit breakers ensure safety.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Spanish contractor Sorigué has the edge with VÖGELE SprayJet
    March 21, 2016
    Spanish contractor Sorigué, the first to use the SUPER 1800-3i SprayJet from Vögele, has pioneered paving thin overlays and the development of new mixes. The company won the contract for rehabilitating the surface course of the 3km-long dam, 10m-wide promenade in the Catalonian port city of Tarragona. Sorigué’s idea was to overlay the existing surfacing with a thin layer applied to a spray seal of polymer-modified bitumen. The spray seal prevents water penetrating inside the structure – a major advant
    Read More
  • Advances in materials testing
    April 10, 2012
    Quicker, better, more cost effective materials testing - Kristina Smith writes. Most developments in materials testing technology involve updating and upgrading existing machines, either to meet changes to standards or to satisfy new needs in the market. And occasionally, a manufacturer will come up with something completely new. PUMA - the precision unbound materials analyser - falls into the latter category. It has been developed by Cooper Research Technology and Nottingham Transportation Engineering Cen
    Read More
  • IRF recommends action for greener roads
    July 4, 2012
    IRF's 2nd International Conference on Roads and Environment reveals how to make roads greener, cleaner and healthier, and follows through with action recommendations IRF's Conference in Geneva on 10-11 November, 2008 put three issues in sharp focus: innovative materials to save energy and other resources, inspiring solutions for water management; an integrated approach to noise and air pollution; and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions monitoring, accounting and offsetting. Some 140 delegates from 36 countries l
    Read More
  • Using technology so assess road surface quality
    April 4, 2014
    Advances in survey technology and the evolving face of road procurement are driving demand for highway condition data. Mark Thomas, infrastructure services manager at Fugro Aperio writes how surveys of new roads can improve long-term quality While a growing suite of non-intrusive testing, measurement and survey technologies are widely used to target highway repairs and to determine asset management strategies, the use of these powerful tools remains patchy in the early stages of the infrastructure life cycl
    Read More

Highlighted Content