In Canada appears the sidewalk from the solar panels (5 photos + video)

In the early summer of 2017 in June in the canadian city of Kamloops (British Columbia) will be the first in the world to the pavement, generating electricity using solar panels. Developers from the local University Thompson rivers claim that “solar power plant on the sidewalk” will generate 15,000 kWh of electricity per year. Such power is enough for smooth operation of the 40 computers during the eight-hour day all year round or to meet the annual energy requirements of 1.5 of the average homes in the United States.

Solar panels Solar Compass will be mounted in a road surface in front of one of the academic buildings of the Thompson rivers University. Tiles of size 1×2 meters in quantities of 64 pieces will cover an area of about 111 square meters. Structural each tile consists of 50 solar modules, and the function of converting DC to AC is imposed on 32 microinverter. Rugged surface of the solar module is able to withstand not only the weight of a person, but a fire truck.

Solar panels produces firm Solar Earth Technologies (Vancouver) specializing in the production of special road surface that can generate electricity from solar energy. The life cover 25 -30 years. In an interview with local newspaper the Vancouver Sun, who heads the project Solar Compass Michael Macht told that the cost of new generating plant is relatively small. Installation of equipment is quite simple, but the equipment itself is not different technical complexity and high cost: small inverters (micro-inverters), the size of a smartphone, combined in a single electrical circuit and the station is ready to work.

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Almost always available for solar lights, the sidewalks can be a wonderful source of electricity, which will open great prospects for the energy industry, believe in Solar Earth Technologies. Further development of the technology of Solar Compass in the future will allow a solar power plant, built in the sidewalks and roads, to ensure not only street lighting but also to provide energy to the means of communication.

Source: Solar Compass