World's First Solar Panel Road Opens Up in Normandy, France

The world’s first solar road was revealed in France Thursday.

The road, called Wattaway, was installed by construction company Colas and the National Institute of Solar Energy (INES). The road is in a small village of Tourouvre-au-Perchein in Normandy and is one-kilometer long. The solar path is covered with 2,880 square meters of electricity-generating panels, Colas said in a press release.

The road is expected to generate 280 megawatts per hour, and the daily production of electricity will shift depending on the weather and season. On average, the road’s electrical output will reach 767 kWh per day, with peaks of up to 1,500 kWh per day in the summertime, Colas said.

An information panel near the path will show in real time the energy production of the solar road and the cumulative production of the solar road since its installation. The road was made to withstand all cars, including heavy vehicles, as well as ensuring good grip for tires on the road, according to Le Monde.

The project came with a high price--$5 million. Critics have said the project, which was funded by public money, is too expensive. The promoters of Wattaway are hoping to bring production costs, the report said.