Working with Coretec Inc., a manufacturer that specializes in energy-saving machinery and systems, Fuji Electric announced last December that they had come up with a weed-control mat that is now getting attention as a possible new application for photovoltaic power.
Municipalities in Japan occasionally use weed-control mats over soil to keep unused or sloped areas of land free of weeds. Were they to substitute the usual mats with the solar ones, weeds could still be kept at bay while generating some electricity. The mats are thin, lightweight, and flexible and therefore can be easily installed on inclines, embankments, and levees. Possible application could also include unused and sloped areas and alongside roads, railroad tracks, and rivers throughout Japan.
Getting the electricity from the mats to a location or device that could use the power remains a main obstacle it seems to me; perhaps use underground lines since the mats are already on the ground?). However, the innovation and creativity combined with technical know-how bodes well for figuring out this and other challenges that come with integrating new energy sources into our current infrastructure.
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