China - Land of Invention and Foresight

[packman]

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China is building roadways with solar panels underneath that may soon have the ability to charge cars wirelessly and digitally assist automated vehicles. This second solar roadway project – part of the Jinan City Expressway – is a 1.2 mile stretch. The building technique involves transparent concrete over a layer of solar panels.

Construction is complete and grid connection is pending, but is expected to be complete before the end of the year.


The Jinan City solar highway is formed with three layers. The top layer is a transparent concrete that has similar structural properties with standard asphalt. The central layer is the solar panels – which are pointed out as being ‘weight bearing.’ The bottom layer is to separate the solar panels from the damp earth underneath. The road will be durable enough to handle vehicles as large as a medium sized truck.

It was noted by engineers that wireless vehicle charging could soon be integrated and automated car functions could take advantage of the inherent data in this this already wired roadway.

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Jesus - Transparent Concrete, solar panels UNDER the concrete, ability to recharge electric cars on that concrete, data collection on traffic on the roads. Gotta admire that and fear for Americas lack of innovation.

https://electrek.co/2017/12/21/china-solar-roadways-transparent-concrete-solar-cells-charge-cars/

[maxsolomon]

1. Let's not get crazy with the praise here.

It's an infrastructure pilot project.

[snooper2]

2. This will be very helpful as everyone will be required to use the cars cabin filter

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[ProudLib72]

4. I was thinking along the same line

China must be doing this out of necessity. They know that electric cars are one way to greatly reduce their horrible pollution, and they know they have to act quickly. What is happening in that picture is all the incentive they need to start a major, green change to their infrastructure.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. The compass, printing, gunpowder

Innovation is an ancient Chinese tradition!