SolarRoad units installed in cycle path in Estampes

French road building contractor Charier has introduced the SolarRoad kit (SRK) on a newly laid cycle path in Etampes, France. Two SRK units convert sunlight to electricity and provide lighting for a roundabout near Etampes, a small commune of around 26,000 people about 50km south-west of Paris. The installation helps Charier meet sustainability objectives within the framework of the Paris Agreement. An SRK has four elements of 2.5m x 3.5m and delivers around 3,500kWh per year, which according to Solar R
February 8, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Sunny side up: workers in France install the SolarRoad kit in Etampes
French road building contractor Charier has introduced the SolaRoad kit (SRK) on a newly laid cycle path in Etampes, France


Two SRK units convert sunlight to electricity and provide lighting for a roundabout near Etampes, a small commune of around 26,000 people about 50km south-west of Paris. The installation helps Charier meet sustainability objectives within the framework of the Paris Agreement.

An SRK has four elements of 2.5m x 3.5m and delivers around 3,500kWh per year, which according to 8663 SolaRoad is enough energy to power an average household for one year.

The solar panels can be driven upon but also carry cables. They contain LED lights to create lines and signage without paint and heating elements to prevent snow and ice accumulation. Microprocessors let the panels communicate with each other, a central control station, and vehicles. The glass has a tractioned surface which is equivalent to asphalt.

The technology can be applied to a business park, courtyard, square, bike path or a footpath. It can provide energy for lighting, illuminating a shop window, heating, Wi-Fi access points or - as now in Groningen, the Netherlands - a charging point for e-bikes and mobile phones.

Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Methanol range extender for fuel cell vehicle
    July 9, 2012
    The innovative QBREAK electric car is to benefit from a sophisticated methanol fuel cell range extender. Development work is being carried out on the project by a consortium of Danish companies. The plan is to develop a novel, range-extended electric vehicle that uses biomethanol as a fuel source. TheModularEnergyCarrier concept (MECc) project has just been granted funding from the Danish government. The reworked electric car is expected to deliver high market potential due to a competitive price and specif
    Read More
  • Electric power projects planned
    January 26, 2018
    While diesel engines continue to be developed, there is no mistaking the current plans for electric driveline projects - Mike Woof writes The growing worldwide consensus on the massive threat to humanity posed by climate change means that the need to reduce exhaust emissions from transport and construction is becoming ever more pressing. As a result, industry is changing and new solutions are being found for transport and construction that will help lower environmental impact. Although many solutions are
    Read More
  • OEMs take a walk down to Electric Avenue
    April 27, 2018
    Where the diesel engine was once the simple solution for OEMs wanting a power source, recent emissions regulations have added such cost and complexity to the diesel-fuelled internal combustion engine that there are now other simpler, solutions on the horizon. That’s the message from Julie Furber, executive director of Cummins electrified power business, who believes that electrification will be the new, simple power solution. “As a provider of power sources, Cummins is in a position to give its customers an
    Read More
  • Beyond cost: forging a solutions-led partnership for highways carbon-saving
    December 30, 2024
    Changing highways procurement is increasingly focusing material specification to drive carbon savings as well as cost. A longstanding partnership between Huyton Asphalt and Tarmac is delivering new solutions for highways clients in the UK.
    Read More

Highlighted Content