Solar Roadways recently unveiled its first public installation at a downtown plaza in a northern Idaho resort town - 150 square feet of hexagon-shaped solar panels that people can walk and bicycle on. The company is working on proving that the panels are strong enough and have enough traction to handle motor vehicles, including semitrailers. Solar Roadways has been testing the strength of its half-inch-thick glass by dropping 1-pound steel balls on it from a height of 8 feet, a standard test for concrete. So far, the tests have been successful. The panels can currently be used for sidewalks, driveways and parking lots. Solar Roadways wants to set up a manufacturing facility for the glass panels as early as next year.
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