Introducing the world's first solar bike lane
Biking is about to become an even greener form of transportation in the Netherlands starting Wednesday, CityLab reports. SolaRoad, which is being called the world's first-ever solar bike path, is set to open in Krommenie, a town northwest of Amsterdam.
The solar cells on the path work by absorbing sunlight hitting the road's surface. Creators hope the electricity produced will be enough to power three households, The Guardian reported.
The roughly $3.7-million path, which is a joint project between public and private Dutch groups, is 230 feet long — but will span 328 feet by 2016.
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The Netherlands research institute that came up with the concept said up to 20 percent of the country's roadways could eventually be similarly outfitted with solar panels. Read The Guardian's full report on SolaRoad here.
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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.
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