1. What is a Solar Walkway? – Technical Principles and Development Background

A solar walkway, also known as a photovoltaic pavement or solar pavement, is a multifunctional infrastructure that embeds photovoltaic modules into traditional road structures. The core idea is to utilize the vast land area occupied by road networks to generate solar power without additional space occupation. By the end of 2020, China’s total highway length had reached 5.198 million kilometers, representing enormous clean energy potential.

From a technical perspective, PV pavement modules typically feature a three-layer design: a transparent protective top layer that withstands pedestrian or vehicle loads while transmitting sunlight; a middle PV power generation layer; and a bottom support base layer. A research paper published in the journal Municipal Engineering Technology in 2022 noted that solar-centric pavement technology has become a research hotspot due to its ability to generate electricity, provide luminous guidance, integrate smart modules, and enable prefabricated assembly. Relevant tests indicate that modular solar pavement components fully meet the performance requirements of urban slow traffic pavements.

2. Most Influential Global Project in 2022: SUNPave at the FIFA World Cup Qatar

If one event marks the most iconic achievement in solar walkways for 2022, it is the SUNPave project. Developed by a team from Texas A&M University at Qatar, this innovative technology was selected for the “Challenge 22” innovation program of the Qatar World Cup, becoming one of the most attention‑grabbing sustainable solutions during the tournament.

The core feature of SUNPave photovoltaic pavers is that they are solar panels you can walk on. The team embedded fragile solar cells into a high‑strength protective layer, allowing them to withstand thousands of footsteps while still generating electricity efficiently. These pavers are scratch‑resistant, slip‑resistant, and anti‑glare, with mechanical strength sufficient to support golf carts and even fire trucks.

In the ticketing area of Al Thumama Stadium, SUNPave installed about 50 square meters of pavers, expected to generate up to 8 kW of clean electricity during the World Cup – enough to power a three‑bedroom apartment including air conditioning, lighting, and a refrigerator. Fans could also charge their mobile devices for free at solar‑powered charging stations around the venue.

SUNPave not only demonstrated the possibility of “dual use of vertical and ground space” but also raised a profound question – the modern city is essentially a competition between energy and space. As co‑founder Mohamed AlGammal said: “Conventional solar panels take up space that can rarely be used for any other purpose, while SUNPave lets us harness the power of the sun without sacrificing space.”

3. Multinational Corporate Entry: BASF and Solar Earth Co‑develop PIPV Pavement Panels

On September 15, 2022, German chemical giant BASF and Canadian Solar Earth Technologies jointly announced the successful deployment of their co‑developed Pavement Integrated Photovoltaic (PIPV) panels.

BASF designed and optimized high‑performance polyurethane materials for the PIPV panels, giving them excellent abrasion resistance, superior mechanical properties, and longer product life. Douglas Matthews, CEO of Solar Earth, said the optimized panels can withstand harsh weather, prevent theft and vandalism, and even bear the weight of trucks without damage. This breakthrough means that urban infrastructure – sidewalks, roads, parking lots, rooftops, docks – can be “solarized,” continuously producing clean energy without altering their original functions.

4. Steady Academic Progress: Economics and Technical Challenges Remain Key Issues

In 2022, academic research on PV pavement technology also made significant strides. Multiple peer‑reviewed papers published on ScienceDirect analyzed the technology from various angles.

On techno‑economic performance, a study on transparent resin‑concrete solar pavement panels estimated a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of $0.175/kWh. However, a review paper published in December 2022 provided a more cautious assessment: the current minimum LCOE for PV pavement is around $1.65/kWh, meaning investment cannot be recovered over a 20‑year lifespan. The technology will become economically attractive only when LCOE falls below $0.20/kWh. The review also noted that long‑term stability and cost‑effectiveness remain the main barriers to widespread adoption.

In China, a study on solar pavements for urban slow‑traffic systems completed a large‑scale pilot demonstration, closing the loop from power generation to consumption and providing a reliable technical pathway for such designs. Chinese patents for PV pavement also continued to emerge in 2022. For example, a patent published in October 2022 disclosed a PV pavement structure with adjustable mirrors on the side of PV panels to intelligently track light positions.

5. Global Diversity: From German Bike Paths to Chinese Smart Trails

Beyond the core projects above, 2022 saw a variety of innovative solar walkway solutions worldwide:

Badenova PV bike path canopy (Germany): German system integrator Badenova installed 912 glass‑glass PV modules above a 300‑meter bicycle path, forming a closed canopy. The 282.7 kWp solar system is expected to generate about 280,000 kWh annually, operated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, with the electricity used for its laboratory needs.

“Guohe One+” PV corridor (Shandong, China): In May 2022, Shandong Province’s first BIPV green zero‑carbon landscape project – the “Guohe One+” PV corridor – began generating power. The 500‑meter corridor produces 130 kWh per hour, using semi‑transparent PV modules, bifacial high‑efficiency crystalline silicon modules, and flexible thin‑film PV modules.

Smart solar benches on Xiamen Mountain‑to‑Sea Trail (Xiamen, China): Five solar‑powered smart benches were added to the Xiamen Mountain‑to‑Sea Trail. The bench surfaces are PV panels that convert sunlight into electricity stored in built‑in batteries. One day of sunshine ensures 24‑hour power for four USB ports for mobile devices, along with free Wi‑Fi.

Zhangjiakou Olympic PV corridor (Zhangjiakou, China): As a key supporting facility for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Zhangjiakou Olympic PV corridor stretches 85 kilometers, with a total investment of 66.7 billion yuan and an installed capacity of 875 MW. The project adopts “forest‑PV” and “agriculture‑PV” models, benefiting 15 surrounding poor villages and over 3,000 poor households.

Haiwei Road solar sidewalk (Tainan, Taiwan, China): Tainan City installed PV power generation equipment above the pedestrian walkway on Haiwei Road. It provides shade, rain shelter, and nighttime lighting without harming the growth of roadside trees, achieving a win‑win for green energy policy and pedestrian environment.