For the pilot project, approximately 100 meters of "SolaRoad' will replace the section of an asphalt bike path near Krommenie, a northern Dutch town. The concrete slabs (2.5 by 3.5 meters) have a 1-cm thick translucent top layer of tempered safety glass, and a nonskid coating. Underneath the glass are crystalline silicon solar cells. The solar-generated electricity will be supplied to the power grid like typical solar panels on rooftops. The short bike path section is expected to generate enough electricity to power 2-3 average homes annually.

The solar cells (right side of panel) are being applied on only one side of the bike path; the other side will only have just the transparent, skid resistant safety glass layer, which will used for R&D purposes to improve the surfacing.

If all suitable roofs in the Netherlands were equipped with solar panels, they could only supply approximately one quarter of the Dutch electricity demand. Larger surface areas for solar panels are necessary. In the Netherlands, a pilot project is investigating an interesting option: using solar cells on roads.

SolaRoad is the brainchild of the Dutch company TNO, working in conjunction with the Netherlands province of Noord-Holland, a road construction company (Ooms Civiel) and a technical service provider (Imtech).

SolaRoad is being developed as prefabricated concrete slabs of 2.5 by 3.5 meters with a 1 cm thick translucent top layer of tempered safety glass. The glass has been load tested, but if it were to break, it would not create dangerous shards, and could still be safely walked and cycled on until repairs were made. Underneath the glass are crystalline silicon solar cells. The top layer has to be translucent for sunlight, and repel dirt as much as possible. The top layer is also skid resistant.

This pilot project is a bike path and not a highway because it is more practical. A cycle path is less heavily loaded, and is easier to make adjustments to and improvements on. In addition, bike paths are "typically Dutch."

For the pilot project, approximately 100 meters of SolaRoad will replace a section of an asphalt bike path near Krommenie, a northern Dutch town. The solar cells are being applied on only one side of the bike path; the other side will only have the transparent, skid resistant safety glass layer, which will used for R&D to improve the surface.

SolaRoad could power street lighting and traffic signals. Sten de Wit of TNO imagines a future in which generated electricity is transported to the vehicles on the road.

For more images and information, visit www.solaroad.nl/en/beeldbank/