Photovoltaic highway applications: Assessment of the near-term market

A preliminary assessment of the near-term market for photovoltaic highway applications is presented. Among the potential users, two market sectors are considered: government and commercial. Within these sectors, two possible application areas, signs and motorist aids, are discussed. Based on judgemental information, obtained by a brief survey of representatives of the two user sectors, the government sector appears more amenable to the introduction of photovoltaic power sources for highway applications in the near-term. However, considerable interest and potential opportunities were also found to exist in the commercial sector. Further studies to quantify the market for highway applications appear warranted