← back to tech showcase

Solar-Paved Highway

2016

Wattway is a patented French innovation that is the fruit of five years of research undertaken by Colas, a world leader in transport infrastructure, and the INES (the French National Institute for Solar Energy). Wattway is a road pavement that uses traditional solar cells, protected in a patented frame, that allows the road surface to generate clean energy under heavy vehicles.

ALONG THE RAY

Wattway debuted with a pilot site in France in 2015, and through a partnership with Hannah Solar and Georgia DOT, The Ray is the first pilot in the U.S. A 50-square meter installation of Wattway solar paving panels was installed in December 2016. The energy generated from The Ray’s Wattway powers the Georgia Visitor Information Center adjacent to the project.

FUTURE INNOVATION

Through the successful testing of Wattway around the world, and on The Ray, Colas is preparing to launch a second version of the Wattway. In 2019, The Ray will install the next generation of Wattway solar panels.