The Dutch are famous for their bike-loving lifestyle and liberal outlook. To add to their list of forward-thinking achievements, the Netherlands are about to explore a new avenue for solar power.
According to a report that appeared in Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster, the town of Krommenie, which lies only 12 miles north of Amsterdam, will cover the lane opposite the train station with 100 meters (328 feet) of solar panels.
The panels will be laid down on top of the existing road and were especially developed for this type of application. The solar tiles measure 1.5m by 2.5m, and feature a transparent glass top, which was made rougher so it could be gripped. Other components of the tiles include an optical laser made of tiny lenses and a series of small flat solar cells housed in concrete. Since it rains quite a lot in Holland, the blocks will be placed at an angle that allows rainwater to run down to the roadside.
Tests have been carried out at a laboratory in the town of Delft. One of the them seeks to determine how many cars can drive over the solar system before they wear out.
It sounds like a great idea, but is it really viable? Bert Heller, a Dutch green politician, sees potential in the innovation, especially as the electric vehicle fleet grows. He says Holland has 137,000 kilometers of roads and bicycle tracks and if they were all equipped with solar systems like the one that is being piloted they could fuel with electricity all the cars circulating on those roads.
Besides, supporters of the project say that using roads as solar power receptors gives them a second function. The area occupied by them is twice as big as the area of all rooftops in the country, the most used place for small solar power generation.
The project is backed by the regional government, which has provided an initial investment of €50,000 (or $74,000). The trial run starts in 2012 and will last five years.
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1 comment:
I know solar is very important in future.Its nice.As of now, solar power and solar related devices are expensive. But it may be reduced if most of the people start using it.Let us see the future of solar power.
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