Wattway news

First trial site in France’s Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region for Wattway

Saturday, June 16, the sun was out and shining brightly for the inauguration of a 68m² Wattway trial site at Savoie Technolac (Chambéry, France). In the presence of Xavier Dullin, president of Greater Chambery, Dominique Dord, mayor of Aix-les-Bains, and Étienne Gaudin, Wattway manager, the elected officials of Chambéry Grand Lac Economie district discovered the installation, designed to function as a local energy loop to power a hydrogen charging station and an electric vehicle charging station. The Wattway project is part of a larger overall program called “Zero Emission Valley” won by the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region last December.

On the N401 road at Kockengen, the Utrecht State inaugurates a new Wattway trial site

Thursday on the 24th of May, the State of Utrecht, Bam Infra and Wattway inaugurated a new trial site of 48m² installed on the N401 road, with the presence of Dennis Straat, Deputy of the Utrecht State and Adelbert de Vreese director of BAM Infra.
For the State of Utrecht, the N401 is an open test bench for renewable energies with regular trials alongside the electrical production from green herbs (E plantation). These two projects allow the State to keep up with their energetical agenda.

To read all the previous news about the Wattway solar road, click on the following > link <

  • Pilot sites at Enova District & Magny-Cours track inaugurated
  • Drim’In Saclay : start-up & SMEs meditating on the solar road’s new uses
  • Wattway has made its first foothold in Asia thanks to 7/11
  • Wattway at the heart of the city of the future
  • A global event: the ITS Wolrd Congress in Montreal
  • Biking along the River Seine: a weekend to promote “smart green roads”
  • ASTANA Expo 2017 – Future Energy
  • The first kilometer of Wattway Solar Road in Normandy
  • First ever US Wattway solar road installed in Georgia

The concept

As the energy transition becomes reality, imagine a road able to harvest solar energy and produce energy locally.

The world’s 1st ever photovoltaic road surface
Wattway is a patented French innovation that is the fruit of 5 years of research undertaken by Colas, world leader in transport infrastructure, and the INES (French National Institute for Solar Energy). By combining road construction and photovoltaic techniques, Wattway pavement provides clean, renewable energy in the form of electricity, while allowing for all types of traffic.

A new vision for roads
Wattway produces electrical energy without overtaking farmland or natural landscapes, and contributes to increasing the share of photovoltaic electricity in the energy mix, both in France and worldwide.

X2
By the year 2050, global energy needs will have doubled.
10%
Roads are only occupied by vehicles 10% of the time.
20m²
20 m² of Wattway panels can supply the electricity requirements of a single home.

The advantages

performance énergétique

ENERGY
PERFORMANCE

Pavement is only occupied by vehicles some 10% of the time. Imagine the solar resources of this surface area, facing the sky.
20 m² of Wattway panels provides enough electricity to power a single home. (Source ADEME/CEREN 2014 – average French household for 1,000 sun hours/year – not including heating).

adhérence et résistance

GRIP
AND RESISTANCE

How to reconcile the fragility of photovoltaic cells and the robust structure of a road? Wattway is composed of cells inserted in superposed layers that ensure resistance and tire grip. The composite material is just a few millimeters thick, making it possible to adapt to thermal dilation in the pavement, as well as vehicle loads, a guarantee of durability and safety.

Pose sur chaussée existante

INSTALLED DIRECTLY
ON EXISTING PAVEMENT

If Wattway is so revolutionary, it’s also because of the way it is installed! No need to rip out the existing structure, Wattway can be applied directly on the current pavement, without any need for civil engineering work.

Its applications

A one-kilometer stretch of road paved with Wattway can provide the electricity
to power public lighting in a city of 5,000 inhabitants.
[Source ADEME]

Towns and cities

In urban areas, the need for electricity is growing. How to produce and how to transport the energy we need? These are some of the most important environmental issues of our times. With Wattway, electricity can be produced and used locally. Wattway fits perfectly into the smartgrids* model that will be used to design the cities of tomorrow.

In cities, Wattway’s applications are endless: public lighting, urban furniture, buildings, homes, signs, etc.

Isolated, off-grid areas

In some remote areas, it is sometimes difficult and costly to supply the infrastructures and villages with electricity. Without having to undertake any major construction work, Wattway provides developing countries with a new, durable solution for short circuit renewable energy.

wattway in 1 minute

The Colas Group

The Colas Group is a world leader in the construction and maintenance of transport infrastructure.
Striving to meet the challenges posed by mobility, urban development and environmental issues, Colas has built a reputation since it was founded in 1929 as an innovative, responsible Group.

After years of research in a partnership with the INES, Colas is now able to combine its expertise in roads with that of photovoltaic technology, paving the way to Wattway, the world’s first photovoltaic road surface.

Colas

Wattway media library

 Press Photos Video
Epron (France) – 2
Epron (France) – 2
Moult (France)
Moult (France)
Le Port – Reunion Island (France)
Le Port – Reunion Island (France)
Le Port – Reunion Island (France)
Le Port – Reunion Island (France)
West Point, Georgia (USA)
West Point, Georgia (USA)
West Point, Georgia (USA) – 2
West Point, Georgia (USA) – 2
WestPoint, Georgia (USA) – 3
WestPoint, Georgia (USA) – 3
Saint-Jean-d’Alcapies (France)
Saint-Jean-d’Alcapies (France)
Saint-Jean-d’Alcapies (France) – 2
Saint-Jean-d’Alcapies (France) – 2
Tourouvre – RD5 (France)
Tourouvre – RD5 (France)
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Tourouvre – RD5 (France) – 3
Tourouvre – RD5 (France) – 2
Tourouvre – RD5 (France) – 2
Press Kit
Press Kit
Press releases
Press releases
SNA factory (France)
SNA factory (France)
SNA factory (France) – 2
SNA factory (France) – 2
SNA factory (France) – 3
SNA factory (France) – 3
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SNA factory (France) – 4
SNA factory (France) – 5
SNA factory (France) – 5
Press Review
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Colas, official partner of COP 21

Colas wins a Climate Solutions Award for the Wattway Solar Road

As part of the COP21 United Nations Conference on Climate Change, Colas has won a Climate Solutions Award for the Wattway Solar Road. The selection jury, whose members include experts in resources and climate matters, has honored Colas with a Favorite Award in the Mitigation – Large Enterprise category.

Organized by Ademe, C3D, le Crédit Coopératif, Orée, Solutions COP21, The Shift Project and World Efficiency, the Climate Solution Awards are given out to highlight the best solutions for alleviating and/or adapting to climate change.

What's up with Wattway

Solar Power International – Anaheim, California
2018, September 24th-27th

Smart City Expo – Barcelona
2018, November 13th-15th

French Mayor’s Fair – Paris
2018, November 20th-22nd

Energaïa – Montpellier
2018, December 11th-12th

How can Wattway help you?

Be the first to pave a solar road

Local officials, you can transform your public space
to build the towns of tomorrow.
Private companies, you can produce clean energy
on your traffic lanes and parking lots.

Together, let’s build the future…

Help innovate in the energy sector and in urban development.
Get on board to the future!

Contact us now.
Together, we can imagine how Wattway can work for you!

Europe: + 33 1 77 45 20 53
USA: + 1 (855) 821-0030

Contact me

Legal information

Legal Information

The www.wattwaybycolas.com. website is the property of Colas, a French Société Anonyme with share capital of 48,981,748.50 euros, registered in the Paris Trade and Companies Register under the reference 552 025 314. The registered office of Colas SA is located at 7 Place René Clair, 92653 Boulogne-Billancourt Cedex, France.

Communications Manager: Sophie Sadeler
Editorial Manager: Delphine Lombard
Design et production: Nomen
Illustration : © COLAS – José Lozano
Photo : © COLAS – Joachim Bertrand / P. Avavian / Arizona
Video : © COLAS – Nomen – Arizona

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