This is a great story from a few months ago about making solar power more efficient in Italy. A highway connecting Catania and Siracusa just got a 30km extension that will be entirely solar powered. The tarmac includes photo voltaic cells that will power any lit signs along the road as well as emergency phones. Excess generated energy can be used to meet local needs. This is the largest project of many that Italy is taking to make its roads more carbon neutral. Italy is also looking at using LED bulbs for traffic lights.
One of the biggest complaints about solar power is the amount of space that the panels take up. It is true that if we attempted to power the world's energy needs through solar power that the area covered in solar panels and the infrastructure necessary to distribute that energy would be inefficient. However, this story is about the success of providing local solar power in a way that does not take up too much space, is not unattractive or harmful to wildlife (big complaints with wind power), and can demonstrate how simple it is to make a small change to make the world a better place.
Although the solar road is only 30 km long, this method could easily be replicated elsewhere in Italy and around the world. In some places (where sunlight is not as abundant year round), it would be less cost effective, but in many places this would be an easy way to begin the shift to solar.
http://www.matternetwork.com/2010/11/italy-goes-solar-first-sun.cfm
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