I don't know about you, but every time I drive down the highway I stare at those metal guardrails and think about how much unused space they represent. Kilometers and kilometers of metal structures that cross Europe, motionless witnesses of our comings and goings. Apparently useless when they don't serve to save our lives (although, obviously, it's not a task to be neglected, on the contrary). What if they could do even more? This is the question that someone must have asked himself Tecnalia, a Spanish research center that has decided to transform these silent guardians of the roads into something revolutionary: clean energy generators. An idea that could make guardrails and road infrastructure an active part of the energy transition.
The road network as a widespread power station
With over 130.000 kilometers of roads crossing the European continent, the energy potential hidden under our tires is impressive. Tecnalia has understood this well and, together with the Italian Vita International, has developed a system that could transform this asphalt network into a giant distributed power plant. Estimates speak of 25 megawatt hours of green electricity for every kilometer of road: a figure that makes your head spin when multiplied by the entire European motorway network.
The beauty of this solution is that it doesn't require you to overturn anything: It simply replaces an existing element (the guardrail) with a new one that maintains the same function but adds a vital one. It's not just a matter of optimizing space, it's the approach that fascinates me: rethinking the ordinary to make it extraordinary.
Intelligent design and improved safety
These solar barriers are not a simple photovoltaic panel attached to a guardrail. The design has been completely rethought, with a studied inclination to better capture sunlight and, at the same time, offer greater safety in the event of an impact. We have often seen safety and sustainability as contrasting concepts, but here they go perfectly hand in hand.
The panels are coated with a protective coating to protect against abrasion and the elements, and (not to be overlooked) are designed to be easily cleaned and replaced if damaged (I imagine everyone has asked this question). The system also includes advanced electronics that isolate the modules in the shade, thus minimizing the impact of passing vehicles on energy production. In short, they thought of everything.
The system is estimated to produce 25 MWh of green electricity per year for every kilometer of road. This represents an annual production of about 600 kWh per kilowatt of installed power.
Solar guardrails, the first test in Italy
The real test will come soon, when the system will be tested on a small stretch (just 100 meters) in a motorway service area between Turin and Trieste. It will be interesting to see how this guardrail of the future will behave in different seasons and weather conditions. In the future, the electricity produced will be used to power the road infrastructure itself: lighting, signs, ventilation systems in tunnels.
I like the idea that one day, driving down the highway at night, we might be illuminated by streetlights powered by the guardrails we just passed; a sort of virtuous circle ofthe energy that transforms our streets into energy-self-sufficient ecosystems. Poetic, isn't it? Streets that feed themselves, almost like living organisms. From simple paths between different points to complex systems capable of generating the energy they consume.
