How many miles of road will France have solar panels?

Last week, France’s minister of Ecology and Energy announced that the country will pave 621 miles of road with solar panels over the next five years, with the goal of providing cheap, renewable energy to five million people.

Will France be paving its roads with solar panels?

France isn’t the first country to kick around the idea of paving its roads with solar panels.

Will France pay for solar roads?

It’s yet to be determined if the solar roads will be as efficient or cost-effective as the more common rooftop solar panels. France plans to pay for the panels by raising taxes on fossil fuels, which the minister said was feasible given the currently low cost of oil.

How much does it cost to build a solar road in France?

The road’s construction is part of a push by French ecology officials to install 1,000 kilometers of solar roads throughout the country within the next 5 years. Constructed at a cost of €5 million (about $5.2 million), directors view the project not as a finished product but as the next step in the development of the technology.

Could a solar road power a street light in France?

These solar roads will be able to provide enough electricity for about 8 percent of the French population, or over 5 million people. They could also power street lights and electric cars. The project, known as Wattway, is a collaboration between the National Institute of Solar Energy and Colas, a French civil engineering firm.

What is the world's first solar road in Normandy?

French officials have opened the world's first solar road in the region of Normandy, unveiling a 1-kilometre-long (0.6-mile-long) route covered in 2,880 photovoltaic panels. The trial roadway, called Wattway, passes through the small town of Tourouvre-au-Perche.