The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in Japan has announced a public call for new technologies related to road surface solar power generation. The initiative supports Japan’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and aims to expand the use of renewable energy within road infrastructure. The call invites proposals for advanced solar panel systems that can be installed on pedestrian road surfaces and used in light-load road environments.
The ministry is seeking technology designed for roads where pedestrians walk or stop, such as at Michi-no-Eki (Roadside Stations). The panels must function both as a solar power generation system and as a pavement surface material. They must also be designed so they can be removed and reinstalled to allow easy maintenance or replacement. MLIT has chosen to focus on pedestrian-use areas because earlier field tests conducted on regular roadways and parking lots experienced challenges, including cracks suspected to be caused by heavy vehicle loads. The new trial aims to avoid these issues and to ensure long-term performance.
The trial project will also include social experiments to test how the electricity generated can be utilized in real applications. Submitted technologies will be evaluated based on several key performance areas. These include road functionality, traffic safety, smooth traffic flow, and maintenance impact. In addition, solar panels must demonstrate sufficient durability, load-bearing strength, safety, economic feasibility, environmental and landscape compatibility, power generation capability, and maintainability. The evaluation will also consider disaster resistance, ease of construction, system practicality, and overall operational safety.
The ministry clarified that this public call does not certify companies or products. Interested applicants must submit participation documents by December 22, 2025, at 5:00 PM JST, and technical documents by January 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM JST. Application guidelines and submission materials are available online, and all inquiries should be directed to the Japan Construction Method and Machinery Research Institute (JICE), which is managing the program’s implementation.
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