The paving elements, which total 4.7 square meters, are built into the sidewalk near Prologis Park Budapest-Harbor’s electric car charging station. In sunlight, the 720 Wp system provides the station with green energy; when the station is empty, the energy supplies a nearby office building.
The developers of Platio wanted to demonstrate that by turning energy absorbing paved areas into huge walkable solar arrays, energy production can be achieved at a large scale without taking up useful space or altering the cityscape.
With this pilot project, Platio founders provide a more environmentally conscious way to fuel electric vehicles. “As e-mobility rapidly emerges, the demand for more energy will grow soon as well. Local, independent renewable energy sources can supplement or even decentralize the utility grid” – said Miklós Ilyés, co-founder of Platio.
Unlike similar projects aiming to harvest solar energy on roads, Platio is designed to be installed at pedestrian paved areas, such as sidewalks and squares. The company’s vision is a future, where solar power plants are integrated intro the urban environment.
The concept appealed to Prologis, the global leader in logistics real estate, and the company provided platform for the pilot project at one of its Hungarian parks, Prologis Park Budapest-Harbor.
“We implement numerous green solutions already in our logistics buildings and with an eye on further innovation we dedicate special care to trialling potential future technologies like this renewable energy source from Platio” – said László Kemenes, senior vice president and country manager, Prologis Hungary. Source and photos Courtesy of Platio.