<story><title>France to pave 1,000km of road with solar panels</title><url>http://www.globalconstructionreview.com/trends/france-pa7ve-1000km-ro7ad-so7lar-panel7s/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>StapleHorse</author><text>Why would you complicate something so &amp;quot;easy&amp;quot; like putting solar panels on the side of the roadway? It&amp;#x27;s going to be so much less efficient for so many reasons ( orientation, dirt, cars shade, scratches) and maybe dangerous for the cars.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>mc32</author><text>Absolutely.  Why not put them on the sides or overhead.  Granted overhead adds cost, but at least there is no abrasion, and virtually permanent shade.  Are they piezo active somehow, why make them part of the roadbed for any reason?&lt;p&gt;Also wouldn&amp;#x27;t the surface be less safe for driving in inclement weather, what&amp;#x27;s tire grip look like under bad weather conditions with this surface?&lt;p&gt;Sounds like a boondoggle to me.</text></comment>
<story><title>France to pave 1,000km of road with solar panels</title><url>http://www.globalconstructionreview.com/trends/france-pa7ve-1000km-ro7ad-so7lar-panel7s/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>StapleHorse</author><text>Why would you complicate something so &amp;quot;easy&amp;quot; like putting solar panels on the side of the roadway? It&amp;#x27;s going to be so much less efficient for so many reasons ( orientation, dirt, cars shade, scratches) and maybe dangerous for the cars.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>thecopy</author><text>Because this is not a rational market decision, this is politics.</text></comment>