Watt a Way to Go

France has opened the world’s first solar panel road. The one-kilometre stretch in the Normandy village of Tourouvre-au-Perche cost US$ 5.2m, and it’s hoped that the 2000 motorists using it each day will produce enough power to light the street lamps for the local population of 3400. Ecology minister Ségolène Royal has said she would like to see solar panels installed on 1000 kilometres of French roads.