South Korea has had an innovative eco-friendly cycle path with solar panels since 2014, which not only facilitates mobility but also generates clean energy. The innovative path, which connects the cities of Daejeon and Sejong, is located in the middle of an eight-lane highway and is a unique example of infrastructure that combines a recreational function with renewable energy production.
The 9-kilometre-long path is equipped with a roof covered with solar panels that stretch for about 4.8 kilometres. These panels, 7502 in number, generate an average of 2,200 MWh of energy per year, enough to power around 600 households. This energy is also used for street lighting and electronic displays in Sejong City.
A cycle path with solar panels. Photo: Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport of South Korea
For the residents of Daejeon and Sejong, the cycle path with solar panels is not only a means of daily transport, but also a comfortable solution. As one resident who regularly uses the route points out, the solar panels provide shade during hot days, which significantly increases the comfort of cycling. In addition, the cycle path located in the middle of the motorway is the shortest and fastest route between the two towns.
South Korea has been developing renewable energy technologies for several years, and the solar panel bike path project is an example of integrating this technology into public spaces. As Kim Geun-ho, a researcher at the Green Energy Institute, points out, solar panels are increasingly being installed on public facilities, which is part of a wider trend of global promotion of clean energy.
Although similar projects are underway in other parts of South Korea and around the world, the Daejeon-Sejong cycle path remains the longest and the only one that runs along a highway. The innovative approach to cycling infrastructure planning and the use of solar energy is making South Korea one of the leaders in global sustainability.
Source: abcnews.go.com, interestingengineering.com
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