The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is looking at technologies for capturing solar energy to help power the state's transportation infrastructure.

Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty has signed a letter of intent with the Province of Noord-Holland (Netherlands) Vice Governor Elisabeth Post to explore the Dutch technology known as SolaRoad1, which incorporates solar panels in roadway projects and has been successfully implemented in a project in Krommenie, The Netherlands. Dutch representatives joined Caltrans on April 1 to discuss capabilities, possibilities and information exchange.

The idea behind SolaRoad is that sunlight falling on the road surface is converted into electricity by concrete panels with solar cells and a translucent top layer of tempered glass. The generated electricity can be used for street lighting, traffic systems, electric vehicles and households.

Concrete panels with solar cells and a translucent layer of glass convert sunlight into electricity. Image credit: SolaRoad."We're excited to explore the application of solar energy in Caltrans assets—everything from emergency power generation to provide self-sustaining maintenance stations to lighting signs and lamps, among others," says Dougherty.

In the Netherlands, the first SolaRoad project is a solar bicycle path in Krommenie, in North Holland, which opened in November 2014 and is being tested for three years. Caltrans' District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura counties) will explore the Dutch technology at its maintenance rest area in Lebec along Interstate 5 in Kern County.

California and The Netherlands have both been active in zero-emission transportation and energy innovation with respect to policies and incentive programs, vehicle research and development and innovation and education and public awareness. Both have committed themselves to stringent climate change action programs to meet 2030 goals in terms of greenhouse gas reductions and sustainable energy generation.