Solar Highways Turn Public Liabilities into Assets

July 18th, 2011 by Aaron Fown

Solar collectors could be placed in empty spaces beside highways that are in disuse. (Photo Credit: Republic Solar Highways)

One of the great things about photovoltaics is that all they need is an unobstructed piece of ground, and some basic maintenance, and they pump out electricity all day long. But finding a piece of ground that can be devoted solely to solar collectors can be a challenge, especially in the populated areas that need the power the most, so you will often find solar panels perched atop some structure, where they are exposed to higher winds, and are more difficult to maintain. But the solution to this problem might be on your way to work every day; in the unused spaces that surround our national grid of highways.

Up north, in Oregon, they have been building a some test examples of ‘solar highways‘ that are using the empty space around and alongside roads to generate electricity, and this has been a successful experiment. The solar highways are already supplying a considerable portion of the power that is needed to light a highway around Portland from light that falls on the highway itself. That project, having proven itself, has now spawned more in the area.

But, really, doesn’t it make more sense to build projects like this in places that have a bit more sun than overcast Oregon? What about places like California? If Republic Solar Highways has it’s way, this sensible plan can become a reality, and soon. They plan to use 65 acres of unused roadside land around highway 101 to build a 15-megawatt solar collection network, and with the backing of the California Department of Transportation the project seems on track to break ground within the next year.

Hopefully, this will be just the beginning. There is so much unused land around our nation’s roads that could be supplying a generous flow of electrons to the people around them, rather than just being a money sink. After all, most of this unused space has to be cleared and mowed regularly to prevent fires from breaking out and making a mess of travel. And, looking forward, there are multiple proposals for using the roads themselves as solar collectors. In fact, our roads are currently acting as such efficient solar collectors that they are changing the environment around them by putting off so much heat. There are certainly better uses for that energy, and it’s time we started collecting it.

Photo via Republic Solar Highways

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Tags: Oregon, photovolatics, Portland, Republic Solar Highways, solar highway, solar highways, solar photovoltaics, solar road, solar roads, solar roadways

About the Author

Aaron Fown I am a plant biologist and documentarian who loves to write, photograph, explore, and discover.

Gary Tulie

I understand that they have been doing this in some areas of Germany for some time. On roads running north south, bi-facial panels are sometimes used mounted vertically and collecting light on the east facing side in the morning, and the west facing side in the evening.

Some arrays have been designed to provide a secondary service – acting as a barrier to the transmission of unwanted noise from the highway – cutting noise levels at nearby residences. The same noise reduction advantage could perhaps be applied alongside railway lines and at the periphery of airports.
Anonymous

I recently ran into a study which evaluated the need to clean solar panels. The panels in the test array were located in the Tucson area and were not cleaned for two years.

At the end of the two years they measured panel output, cleaned them, and remeasured.

Cleaning off the accumulated dirt caused about a 1% increase in performance.

In other words, panels don’t need to be cleaned in some locations. Some places just not much accumulates, in others they will be cleaned by rain.

http://www.isaac.supsi.ch/isaac/pubblicazioni/Fotovoltaico/Final%20Report/rapporto%20finale%20-%20progetto%20eu%205fp%20-%20mean%20time%20before%20failure%20(mtbf)%202003.pdf
Ebon Abramson

I think this is a great idea, considering how much farm land is used for solar farms; I don’t feel that that is exactly the best way, but a start none the less. There are plenty of unused areas that can be utilized for solar production, as in this case. I also think is great because many municipalities do not have lighted highways, which is very dangerous, and this might entice them install them also. My only worry is glare for the sun being directed at the traffic, but I believe these guys have already taken that into consideration, or will in the future.