SolaRoad
The SolaRoad was the world's first bike path made from solar panels, and was a prototype project testing the feasibility of various proposals for smart highways. The path opened in the week of 21 October 2014, and was designed by a consortium of organizations, which built the pathway in Krommenie, Netherlands. The path was formally opened in November 2014 by the Dutch Minister of Energy Henk Kamp. By January 2020, extensive damage was apparent on the path, which had led to the installation of a sign warning of 'Bad Road Surface' NL:Slecht Wegdek. The path was removed  in November 2020 and is considered a failure. Consortium. The technology was developed by a consortium consisting of Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Imtech (Dynniq) and Ooms Civiel, with a grant of €1.5million from the province (county) North Holland as owner of the path. The total cost of the pilot project was €3.5million. In addition to the €1.5million from the province North Holland were that contributions from TNO, Ooms Civil, Imtech (Dynniq) and the European PV-Sin project (partly subsidized by the Dutch government). Technology. The road surface consisted of prefabricated panels with a surface  of thick hardened glass. Beneath the glass solar cells were installed. TNO stated that this energy can be used for lighting of the road, traffic lights and road signs. The energy was also delivered to local dwellings. TNO thought that in the future, electrical vehicles might be driven by the road itself. This prototype was be studied over the next three years. Problems and critics. On 26 December 2014, a section of the top-layer coating detached from the glass layer, and that portion of the bike path had to be repaired. In October 2015 the top-layer coating was  in such poor condition that it was replaced. Critics of the technology see several problems: Results of trial. In the first month, the path delivered enough energy to sustain one family. After a six-month test engineers report results are "better than expected". "If we translate this to an annual yield, we expect more than the 70kWh per square metre per year," Sten de Wit, spokesman for SolaRoad, the company that put it in. The EEVblog compared the 6 and 12 months trial results from SolaRoad with data from 3 rooftop solar systems within a few kilometers of the prototype  road. The data showed that rooftop solar systems produced twice the output of the SolaRoad per square meter over the same period. In November 2015 it was announced that the path had produced 9800 kWh of electricity in one year. In October 2016, the path was expanded with 7 new improved elements. Two elements of the first generation were removed. In total the expanded path consist of 32 elements (83 meters). In February 2017, a crack appeared in the top coating of one of the improved elements. By January 2020, extensive damage was apparent on the path, which had led  to the installation of a sign warning of 'Bad Road Surface' (in Dutch: Slecht Wegdek). The top layer of the experimental bicycle path was removed in November 2020, and replaced by normal asphalt. Trials heavy traffic. As a follow-up to the bicycle path in Krommenie, two heavy traffic pilots were constructed early March 2019 (100 meter in Spijkenisse and 50 meter in Haarlemermeer). After a week, these pilots were closed to traffic due to problems with the top layer. In July 2019 it was decided to stop the project in Spijkenisse, the Solaroad is beyond repair. Comparable initiatives. An  innovative cycle lane in South Korea has a solar powered roof, providing shelter from sun and rain for cyclists while generating electricity. In this concept the solar panels are directed in the most profitable position for optimal efficiency. The 32 km (20 mile) path between Daejeon and Sejong runs down the middle of a six-lane motorway. Parking under a solar panel roof is an efficient way to produce electricity in combination with infrastructure. Another economically viable solution for harvesting energy from roads is Road Energy Systems (RES). This system is based on solar water heating and could easily be  placed in a road without changing its appearance.