Solar pavement, energy to step on and walk through. 3 yes and 3 no.

Some companies have been integrating solar panels into streets, sidewalks, yards and other surfaces for years. An innovation that has gradually freed itself from general mistrust, and is only now attracting the attention of private individuals and construction companies. These are photovoltaic systems that can be easily installed in existing external paving. They can integrate prefabricated concrete or polymer solutions, generating renewable energy to power a home or surrounding infrastructure.

To discuss this technology with you, I have collected data from two companies that produce "walkable" photovoltaic systems. It's the Chinese one Solar Earth and Hungarian Platio (if you know similar companies, please report them and I will take them into consideration). In both cases these are systems that are easy to install and maintain with a life cycle of 15 years. Chinese society places emphasis on a scenario that could be one of excellence: the urban one. For Platio, however, there is a lot of sustainability also in the residential field: private gardens and avenues can benefit from energy even when collected "from below". What do you think?

We have kilometers and kilometers of pavements that could power traffic lights, sensors, emergency systems in all cities without the need for connection to the electricity grid. How do you see such systems? Integrated into sidewalks, paths, cycle paths, driveways and parking lots, they would produce energy while supporting pedestrian, bicycle and car traffic. Basically? With a production capacity of 1,5 MW per 10 km of 1,2 m wide pavement and the ability to support loads of up to 5 tonnes, ground-mounted solar can be extremely useful in public or private areas. Or not.

Here is one of those posts that gladly collects your opinion.

Three reasons why technology that incorporates solar panels into pavement may be attractive:

1. Efficient use of space: Solar panels installed on pavement can use space more efficiently than those installed on roofs, since they can be placed in places where there are no surfaces available for installation, such as sidewalks, bike paths or parking lots.
2. Aesthetics: Solar panels embedded in pavement can be designed to be integrated in an aesthetically pleasing way into the surrounding environment, unlike those installed on roofs, which may be visible from the outside (unless they are integrated into tiles, as in the case of the BIPV).
3. Economy: Installing solar panels in pavement can be less expensive than installing on roofs, as it does not require the same amount of installation work and materials.

Three cons:

1. Efficiency: the efficiency of solar panels depends on the angle of incidence of the sun's rays, and solar panels installed on pavement can be less efficient than those installed on roofs due to the angle of their surface relative to the sun.
2. Duration: solar panels installed on the pavement can be subject to greater wear and damage due to pedestrian and vehicular traffic, making them less durable than those installed on roofs.
3. Resistance: solar panels installed on pavement can be subject to lower temperatures than those installed on roofs, as they are closer to the ground, which could create problems during the winter months, or in the presence of snow.

I'm curious who is for or against this revolutionary technology. Do not hesitate to let us know on the Futuro Prossimo social channels!