The state of California has commissioned an analysis by transportation and energy officials to evaluate the feasibility of highwayside renewable energy sites, such as solar panels. While other states have started to establish roadside renewable energy fields, the state has 24,140 km of highways.Clean energy will be provided to 270 thousand homes
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently gave the state’s transportation and energy officials the green light to install solar panels, battery storage and other renewable energy sites along highways. Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed feasibility study. The new law, signed and approved, tasks the California Department of Transportation with establishing clear rules for companies and utilities to develop renewable energy alongside highways. Within the scope of the law, vacant lands along the state’s highways will be evaluated until the end of 2025.
There are 250 highways in the state of California, comprising 24,140 km of roads. According to the pre-feasibility study, vacant land next to these roads could be used to generate 1 GW of solar energy and power more than 270,000 homes.On the other hand, there are other states in the USA that use roadside renewable energy sources. In 2008, Oregon became the first state to develop a solar highway project, which now has nearly 600 solar panels. Since then, 36 states and 15 countries have contacted Oregon to create similar programs, according to the state’s website.
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