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

  • A new additive for self-de-icing asphalt mixture roads in winter
    December 14, 2020
    A new additive from Iterchimica aims to help minimise icing on asphalt surfaces in winter conditions
    Read More
  • Using ITS to maximise safety and traffic flow for cycling
    January 22, 2013
    Copenhagen, Denmark, has long been known as one of the world’s leading cities for cycling. In some areas of the city, the modal share of bikes has reached a level of as much as 50 %. And on some of the most frequently used bike paths the average daily number of cyclists is close to 30,000. As these numbers continue to rise, new ways of planning and implementing cycling infrastructure are needed. Increasingly, Danish traffic planners are turning to technology as a tool for planning cycling infrastructure. I
    Read More
  • New battery technology further advances the case of electric vehicles
    April 13, 2012
    French firm Bolloré has developed an innovative lithium metal polymer (LMP) battery. This is the result of a 15 year research and development process. Low levels of interest by OEMs in the new system encouraged Bolloré to launch its own electric vehicle featuring this battery. Called the Bluecar, the vehicle is now available in Paris through the autolib scheme. The aim of the project is to have 1,100 rental stations, 3,000 Bluecars and 6,600 charging stations in 47 areas in the great Paris area.
    Read More
  • Wattway: the way of the future
    May 10, 2016
    Wattway, the Solar Road, is the result of five years of R&D by French company Colas in partnership with the French National Institute for Solar Energy. “The Solar Road will play a part in the energy transition and is a building block for Smart Cities,” said Hervé Le Bouc, chairman and chief executive of Colas.
    Read More

Highlighted Content