|
This 3 hour course describes various impacts associated with the deployment of solar arrays in right of ways (ROWs). European countries have been deploying solar arrays in ROWs for over thirty years, and today most U.S. state departments of transportation and the Federal Highway Administration agree that solar array deployment in the ROW is possible, after careful site evaluation and impact analysis. Typical spaces available for solar energy generation are rest areas, land outside ROW clear zones, space adjacent to interchanges, and roof tops. In addition to the available space, ROWs offer electrical infrastructure corridors (existing transmission lines aligned with the highways), well maintained secure land, and easy access for construction and maintenance. The main potential concerns associated with solar array deployment in the ROW and the main focus of this course are driver safety, highway operation, maintenance, and environmental impacts.
The course is based on the impact of solar array deployment specifically in the State of Colorado but almost all of the concerns discussed apply to other states as well.
|
