More than a Walkway: Behind Photovoltaic pavements
Jun 27
2 min read
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We've all heard of solar-powered panels, but what about solar-energy pavements? In 2021, the Barcelona city council established the first solar-powered pavements, or more technically, photovoltaic pavements. Is this an effective practice for clean energy and what other areas of civilian life does this effect?
What's the difference between solar and photovoltaic?
Solar energy, usually harnessed through panels, is the process of transforming solar radiation into heat energy. Solar energy has increasingly become used by households in the U.S. over the past two decades and has become cheaper due to increasing domestic use.
Photovoltaic (PV) energy is a process that is used within solar energy. This transformation specifically converts thermal energy directly into electricity. How photovoltaic panels function is quite interesting: when sunlight (photons) strikes the semiconductor material in a PV cell, it knocks electrons loose, generating an electric current. However, not all solar panels have to be PV-based. Innovations such as organic solar panels use carbon molecules to absorb sun rays and generate electricity, while transparent solar panels allow visible light to pass through and absorb ultraviolet and infrared rays.
What to keep in mind:
All photovoltaic systems are solar, but not all solar systems are photovoltaic.
Essentially, solar energy is the general concept of harnessing the sun's power, while photovoltaic energy is a specific method that uses the photovoltaic effect to generate electricity.
How will photovoltaic pavements benefit us in ways that solar panels can't?
The main, unique benefits that photovoltaic pavements provide are that they help utilize urban space and that they help with reducing surface temperatures in the urban area. In terms of addressing rising temperatures, photovoltaic cells are able to produce this effect because they both reflect sunlight and absorb heat. While solar panels produce the same cooling effect, pavements are right underneath pedestrians, making the sensation more noticeable. Therefore, increased adaption of this innovation would help heavily populated cities provide roles for unused spaces.
My take
I think installing PV pavements are a smart and efficient innovation that more cities should implement. Considering highly urbanized cities such as New York City and Los Angeles (and downtown areas in general), the pavements make strategic use of the sidewalks and transit spaces, giving the opportunity for more cities to adopt cleaner energy practices easily.
Since PV pavements specifically are still new in the clean energy space, countries not yet sure cost efficient this is for the economy. Additionally, it should be noted that concerns about low-energy yield per square meter are one of the main reasons why many people are on the fence with truly implementing this innovation in more places.
Although PV pavements are more costly than traditional pavements, it balances the premium space of downtown areas and ambitious sustainability goals. Acknowledging that these pavements provide low-energy yield, by utilizing existing infrastructure to harness energy, cities can avoid the challenges of finding new space for solar farms, making the transition to renewable energy more accessible and equitable for all residents.
