Monday, September 7, 2009

YERT-Power From Our Roads?

There are people out there that a thinking and creating New ways to store and provide Power. Or are they New? Some of the ideas are not New just need to be implemented into life. While we look at ways to use the energy resources we have, we need to (as a consumer) be willing to pay a little more at first. I stumbled upon this while surfing the web. watch it and share your thoughts.



On August 25 2009 the government awarded 100.000 dollar to Solar roadways of Idaho. They are to build a prototype. Here is a quote from the document.

The Solar Roadways will collect solar energy to power businesses and homes via structurally-engineered solar panels that are driven upon, to be placed in parking lots and roadways in lieu of petroleum-based asphalt surfaces.

The Solar Road Panels will contain embedded LEDs which "paint" the road lines from beneath to provide safer nighttime driving, as well as to give up to the minute instructions (via the road) to drivers (i.e. "detour ahead"). The road will be able to sense wildlife on the road and can warn drivers to "slow down". There will also be embedded heating elements in the surface to prevent snow and ice buildup, providing for safer winter driving. This feature packed system will become an intelligent highway that will double as a secure, intelligent, decentralized, self-healing power grid which will enable a gradual weaning from fossil fuels.

Here is the Link to read the rest of the press release.
What a breakthrough if this works . What are your thoughts?

1 comment:

  1. Seems to me glass would be entirely too slick to be a safe road surface, but narrow solar grids inserted into the existing roads where lines already exist - I could see that as a promising idea.

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