China builds cutting-edge SOLAR motorway that could charge electric cars as they travel on it and melt snow in sub-zero weather
By Tracy You for the Daily Mail
China is set to open its first solar motorway that can generate electricity under sunlight.
The two-kilometre-long (1.2 miles) stretch of highway, situated in Jinan, could charge electric cars as they are travelling on it.
The two-lane road could also warm itself up in sub-zero weather to melt the snow on top – so drivers could drive on it more safely.
The high-tech photovoltaic highway comprises the southern part of the Jinan City Expressway in the provincial capital of Shandong and is expected to open by the end of December, reported People’s Daily Online.
Formed with special weight-bearing solar panels, the road can hold medium-size vans and has strong friction.
Once it’s completed, the highway would be connected to the power grid so it could provide electricity to the city.
The solar highway is formed with three layers.
The top layer is paved with the so-called ‘transparent concrete’, which is said to be as strong as the traditional road-surfacing material, asphalt concrete.
The middle layer is the power-generating layer consisting of solar panels.
The bottom layer is the insulation layer which separates the photovoltaic system from the damp earth.
