NEW SOLAR SYSTEM

A village in northern France is home to what is claimed to be the world’s first solar road.

Some 2800 square metres of electricity-generating panels, which are each seven millimetres thick, have been laid on a one-kilometre section of highway in Tourouvre-au-Perche, Normandy, for a two-year trial.

It is hoped that ‘ Wattway’ will generate enough energy to power street lighting in the village, which is home to 3400 people.

Constructor Colas, an Anglo-French company, tested its technology in four car parks across France ahead of launching the innovative scheme.

Wattway Director Jean-Charles Broizat said: “We are still in an experimental phase. Building a trial site of this scale is a real opportunity for our innovation.

“This trial site has enabled us to improve our process of installing and manufacturing photovoltaic panels, to keep on optimising our innovation.”