Will France introduce the world's first solar road?

France has introduced the world's first solar road. This road will be a 2-year-long test, and possibly a clean energy solution for all roads in the world. Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian.

What is the world's first solar road in Normandy?

French officials have opened the world's first solar road in the region of Normandy, unveiling a 1-kilometre-long (0.6-mile-long) route covered in 2,880 photovoltaic panels. The trial roadway, called Wattway, passes through the small town of Tourouvre-au-Perche.

How much does it cost to build a solar road in France?

The road’s construction is part of a push by French ecology officials to install 1,000 kilometers of solar roads throughout the country within the next 5 years. Constructed at a cost of €5 million (about $5.2 million), directors view the project not as a finished product but as the next step in the development of the technology.

Where is the world's first solar panel road?

France officially opened the world's first solar panel road this week. It features 2,880 solar panels over 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in the small village of Tourouvre-au-Perche. The energy efficient road was built with Colas' Wattway technology, which is installed directly on existing pavement.

How many solar panels are there in Tourouvre-au-Perche?

It features 2,880 solar panels over 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in the small village of Tourouvre-au-Perche. The energy efficient road was built with Colas' Wattway technology, which is installed directly on existing pavement. It's designed to provide enough energy to power street lighting for the 3,400-person village in Normandy.

What is the solar road?

Colas, world leader in transport infrastructure, has unveiled Wattway, the Solar Road. The fruit of five years of R&D in a partnership with the French National Institute for Solar Energy, this major innovation gives an entirely new function to roads, that of producing renewable energy.