I bet everybody reading this had the exact same thought: "how about solar roads then?"

Solar roads have already been proposed, it's the gum and other crude that will get stuck to to the sidewalks.

No, I was thinking "why don't they raise it above the sidewalk and provide some useful shade".

How much energy is lost to shadows and dirt.
Proof that no mater how bad the idea there is somebody willing to try it.

"The 100 sq ft (9.3 sq m) rectangular Solar Walk was made using walkable PV floor panels manufactured by Spanish tech company Onyx Solar. "
Doesn't this mean that the Spanish tech company came up with "the first walkable solar-paneled pathway in the world."

@Slowburn
"Proof that no mater how bad the idea there is somebody willing to try it"
The potential of this product is not limited to sidewalks covered by trees. I know here in Texas, a vast majority of sidewalks are not covered and the nearest tree could be 500ft away.

First?? I thought Solar Roadways prototypes were the first ...

@ Silverbird People cast shadows and leave dirty footprints.

I would like to try these out on my dock and float.

Hmm so how have they solved the shadows and dirt issue I guess you can use some fance electrics or diodes to stop shadowing being an issue a total issue and I guess not 100% of the path would be in shadow perhaps. So dirt and wear - thats a more interesting one - is the surface gorilla glass or soemthing - lol never tried to walk on a mobile phone or table to see what would happen to the glass - guess could use a replable film - but then is the film more expensive than the energy - guess there must be a solution out there..... Still love the LED in the pavement idea - could do a certain michail jackson number lol.