Using hexagonal shaped pieces Solar Roadways wants to replace sidewalks, parking lots, roads, and even bike paths. Each Solar Roadways hexagon piece contains a solar panel which would allow it to not only pay for itself but eventually start putting power back into the grid. Surplus clean energy would be an amazing feat but what really gets me excited is that each hexagonal piece also contains a bunch of LEDs. The video below explains just why that’s so awesome.
****** UPDATE ******
This next video highlights drawbacks to why the Solar Roadways system isn’t great and contains many things that won’t work. The video is a bit condescending and makes assumptions but it brings up valid points such as LEDs not being very visible in broad daylight and glass being expensive.
The idea of designing our environment to provide power for us is a sound one and I think a step in the right direction. Glass may not be the answer but different materials such as Graphene or even Cadmium arsenide could give us better solutions or options.
