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What is a solar road?
Mis à jour le
March 6, 2026
5
Min reading
Innovations in the production ofrenewable energy have continued to multiply in recent years. The most reliable and efficient systems, such as solar power plants, are unfortunately faced with a major difficulty: that of location space.
The exploitation of a Photovoltaic solar farm is not without impact on the surrounding ecosystem, on natural areas and on agricultural land. The construction of solar roads is one of the most interesting solutions that researchers have found to face this challenge.
Discover solar roads, an innovative solution to produce renewable energy without compromising space.
How does a solar road work?
One solar road is an asphalt road on which photovoltaic plates are placed in order to capture solar rays and produce electrical energy. For reasons of practicality, these plates are covered with a transparent resin that fulfills two functions.
It reinforces the solidity of the installation to allow it to withstand the passage of vehicles and heavy vehicles. This coating is also covered with a rough slab that promotes tire grip and ensures driving comfort. The transparent structure of the resin also allows sunlight to pass through so that it can be captured by Photovoltaic cells.
Les solar panels placed on bitumen convert the sun's rays into direct electrical current that they transmit to an inverter. The latter converts this electricity into alternating current to make it compatible with the distribution network.
Solar road: what is it for?
The production of electricity fromsolar energy is an excellent alternative to fossil fuels. This process helps to take advantage of a renewable source, clean and whose operation has little impact on the environment. To produce a large quantity of solar energy, however, a lot of space is needed to install the panels. In the long run, the multiplication of solar farms will reduce the availability of usable land for agriculture, urbanization... The country's natural resources will also be affected by the mobilization of land for the installation of solar farms.
La solar road construction allows you to exploit space already available without impacting its usual use. Roads can no longer be used for any reason other than vehicle traffic. However, the installation of photovoltaic plates on these road infrastructures does not prevent driving comfort. This system is therefore a way to make better use of the available spaces.
The electricity produced by a solar road can also be injected into the distribution network to increase its capacity. This energy can also be used to power road infrastructure and surrounding areas.
For example, it can be used for public lighting or for powering traffic signs and traffic lights. The solar road is also an excellent source of energy for the installation and supply of electric vehicle charging stations.
Are solar roads really effective?
In terms of electricity production, solar roads offer satisfactory performance. On this point, their effectiveness cannot be questioned, but there is still enormous potential for evolution.
Currently, a one-kilometer solar road is capable of producing 767 kWh of electricity per day. This quantity of electrical energy is sufficient for power the public lighting in a city with 5,000 inhabitants or more.
Unfortunately, the transparent resin coating and the rough tile that covers the photovoltaic plates excessively reduce the sun's rays. This prevents solar cells from optimally capturing light to convert it into electricity.
In addition, the shadows caused by vehicles and wide-body vehicles traveling on the road reduce the efficiency of the system. Researchers are still working on these various points to optimize the efficiency of solar roads.
Photovoltaic panels are also much more expensive than conventional solar panels. Although their lifespan is longer, the use of this equipment represents a significant investment that is difficult to make profitable in the short term.
Source: Reporterre
Which countries have these solar roads?
Research on the construction of portions of roadways that producesolar energy started in the 2000s in the United States. The experimentation and implementation phase began in 2014 with the installation of solar panels on bike paths. In 2015, the United States inaugurated The first real solar road for motor vehicles. France launched its first solar road in 2016 in the city of Tourouvre in Perche. It extended over one kilometer and could produce 790 kWh of electricity per day.
Many other countries have followed suit by also building even more innovative solar roads. This is the case in the Netherlands where there is a solar road that has 300 ha of solar panels. It can supply up to 70,000 households.
China also installed photovoltaic panels on two kilometers of highway in 2018. Other European countries such as Luxembourg and Germany also have roads that produce solar energy. They have also started large-scale projects in this sector. The Germans plan to cover all their highways with solar panels to increase their electricity generation capacity.
How much does a solar road cost?
The Cost of a solar road varies from country to country. In general, this project comes back ten times more expensive than the classic installation of solar panels on a roof or on a high support. In France, the first one-kilometer solar road cost up to five million euros.
Over an estimated lifetime of 15 years, the cost of producing this solar energy amounts to €2.20/kWh. For its part, the classic system costs less than €1/kWh. Luxembourg paid €76,000 to build a solar road that extends over an area of 15 meters by 3 meters. In Germany, the price of installing photovoltaic panels on the highway is estimated at €125/m².
The solar road is thus only a conventional road covered with photovoltaic plates in order to produce electricity from solar energy. It is effective, but specialists continue to study ways to make it even better. Will it be able to become the main source of solar electricity production?
Did you know that?
Recognizing the climate emergency, SirEnergies offers professionals and businesses the opportunity to limit the ecological impact in terms of energy.
We have made the choice to work with key players in solar photovoltaic to offer you support solutions dedicated to your photovoltaic self-consumption projects.
Click below for more information:
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