A solar pavement for use on a residential driveway has become available to homeowners for the first time by Hungary-based tech company, Platio.

The home solar pavement – which is suitable for driveways, terraces, balconies and patios – features walkable solar tiles mounted on recycled plastic paving slabs.

The solar pavement system consists of interlocking units called Platio Solar Pavers. Each Platio Solar Paver is made from recycled materials including 400 polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, while hardened glass tiles protect the solar cells. Compressed into pavers, the material becomes more durable than concrete while still being non-slip and sustainable. The tiles are designed to be able to bear the weight of a car occasionally driving over.

The Platio Home Solar Pavement allows homeowners to reduce dependency of external energy supply and to sell excess energy, since green energy is harvested by high performing solar cells that are integrated into the pavement.

The solar pavement system can either be used to generate electricity for a residential household or power an electric car. According to Platio, a 20-square-metre Platio driveway system has the capacity to cover the yearly energy consumption of an average household.

Platio has been manufacturing sustainable building materials for pavements since 2015. The Platio Solar Paver, which is described as “a design paving solution that makes solar technology part of the modern architecture”, also provides a new clean energy source for cities, buildings, and marinas, as well as residential use.

Platio

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living. She also offers content services to businesses and individuals at Rosamedea.com