In Peachtree Corners, Ga., the Curiosity Lab is also working on solar power generating panels placed in roadways with testing occurring in an autonomous vehicle (AV) lane. As more EVs take to the roads, more charging stations will be needed, and the team at the Curiosity Lab sees this as a viable answer to the issue at hand. The solar power generating panels, manufactured by Wattway, are installed on the surface of the AV lane in The Ray, an 18-mile stretch of Interstate 85, and the power generated fuels an adjacent EV charging station.
“Our system should produce more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually for a Level 2 EV charger at no cost to EV motorists, and the charger includes a storage system for nighttime charging,” Greg Ramsey, director of public works at the city of Peachtree Corners. explained.
Directors of both projects see these pilot projects as just the beginning of smart infrastructure. The technology can be used to deploy power, monitor water pipes, and deliver broadband.
