Photovoltaics as an Element of Intelligent Transport System Development - Geoinformatics for Intelligent Transportation - page 183

c management systems, (2)
public transport management systems, (3) freight transport and

The most frequently applied ITS solutions are: (1) traf

fleet of vehicles
management systems, (4) road events and rescue services management systems,
(5) traf

fl

c safety management and violation of regulations monitoring systems, (6)
information services for travellers, (7) electronic toll collection systems, (8) advanced
technologies in vehicles [ 1 , 5 ].
Within the frameworks of the listed applications of ITS, photovoltaics may play
the most important role in expanding the system to include further locations in
particular in not urbanised areas: information signs, warning signs and, first of all,

the system of variable content signs, which is primarily an invaluable impact on the
safety of road users.

2 Material and Methodology of Studies

For the purpose of the paper was study and analysis of literature ITS and practical
application of photovoltaic panels. Particular attention was paid to the use of road
infrastructure of energy from renewable sources. For this purpose, within the
framework of the paper the locations of photovoltaic panels supplying information
and warning signs on national roads within the area of Warmi

ń sko-Mazurskie

voivodship in north-eastern Poland have been identi ed. Information concerning

use of photovoltaic panels in signage on national roads in the region was obtained
from the General Directorate of National Roads and Motorways, branch in Olsztyn
administering those roads (data as at September 2013). GIS tools were used for
identi

cation of the existing road signs supplied by photovoltaics. The MapInfo
Professional application was used for development of the appropriate subject
map. For the purpose of precise location of the objects Google Maps and Street
View service were used. This work is application in its character. One of the
functions of MapInfo professional using to for the identi cation of photovoltaic

panels in the road infrastructure used to geocoding. Geocoding consists in assigning
the info about a given location coordinates to visualize on the map. Analysis of the
use of photovoltaic panels in road infrastructure was conducted to de ne whether

application of such solutions is justi ed.

3 Potential of Photovoltaics Use for Road Safety
Improvement

Photovoltaics is a scienti c discipline dealing with transformation of solar radiation

energy into power by applying photovoltaic cells. It is one of the most promising
renewable energy sources representing an alternative for traditional not renewable
resources.
Solar energy may be transformed into power using photovoltaic cells (PV cells),
solar cells converting light directly into power. That process is also possible by