French officials opened the first solar 1 kilometer long road in the region of Normandy. The road is covered with 2,880 photovoltaic panels. It is called “Wattway” and passes through the small town “Tourouvre-au-Perche”. It is expected that will be used by about 2,000 riders during a test period of two years to see how much electricity can be produced. According to initial estimates, the road will generate enough energy to supply all street lights in the city, or about 767 kilowatt / hours a day, 280 megawatt / hours per year. But according to critics, the construction of this solar path will spent 5 million euros, which means that the energy it will produce will cost 14 times more than the construction of solar panels on rooftops. Experts say that the concepts for solar roads are not completely practical as solar panels on the roofs because of the angle of inclination that makes solar panels on roofs are better placed to sunlight.

Source.

...