When detractors were howling about solar roadways’ flaws, concerns about theft wasn’t among them. Apparently it should have been, because a few days ago, thieves cut out and ran away with a chunk of China’s recently unveiled solar highway — a move nobody predicted.
Thieves cut out a nearly 6″ by 73″ portion of the solar roadway on January 2, just days after it was debuted on December 28. Officials aren’t sure why someone would steal a small section of road, because while the roadway itself was a costly endeavor, the solar panels aren’t worth that much money.
Related: Rugged solar roads to hit four continents in 2017
One idea is that the thieves wanted to understand how the technology worked, so rather than ask an engineer, they took a slice of road. Since the theft took place, the roadway has been repaired.
Via Engadget
Images via QTDG
