Solar Roadways

The provinces of North Holland and North Brabant in the Netherlands are each looking to cycle paths as a way to generate renewable energy

Environment

Renewable energy rides solar cycle paths through Dutch provinces

The Dutch love to cycle. So much so that there are more than 35,000 km of cycle paths snaking through the Netherlands. Two of those bike routes have now been topped with photovoltaic cells to produce renewable energy while they face skyward.

Solar Roadways has programmed a few random LED patterns, but the City of Sandpoint plans to allow the public to interact with and change the displays

Environment

Sandpoint town square home to first public Solar Roadways panel installation

Over 2 years after the laying a bunch of solar harvesting hexagonal panels at its Idaho electronics lab Solar Roadways has completed its first public installation. The City of Sandpoint, Idaho, is playing host to the proof of concept roll out, with 30 tiles now brightening up a town square.

Scott and Julie Brusaw relax on the new parking lot

Environment

Solar Roadways installs energy harvesting parking lot

The Solar Roadways project has released photos of an (almost) completed parking lot installation at its Idaho electronics lab, and is dipping into crowd-funding waters with a campaign to raise funds for the move into commercial production.

The Solar Wind bridge concept combines solar cells and wind turbines to generate power for around 115,000 homes

Architecture

Building a bridge to renewable energy

The Solar Wind bridge concept harnesses solar energy through a grid of solar cells embedded in the road surface and wind energy through turbines integrated into the spaces between the bridge’s pillars.

University of Rhode Island graduate student Andrew Correia (left) and Prof. K. Wayne Lee, measuring the solar energy generated by a patch of asphalt

Environment

Four ways to harvest solar heat from roads

Researchers are looking into ways of harvesting the solar heat that is stored in asphalt roads.

Mans Tham's "Solar Serpents in Paradise" idea would see city freeways covered in solar panels

Environment

Turning freeways into electricity generating 'Solar Serpents'

Sweden-based architect Mans Tham proposes covering the freeways of cities such as Los Angeles in solar panels to form electricity generating "Solar Serpents.”

Solar Roadways wants to replace petroleum-based asphalt road surfaces with energy-producing solar panels

Environment

Solar panel roads to power our homes

Idaho-based Solar Roadways founder Scott Brusaw is excited that his company has a received a USD$100,000 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant to develop further his prototype that turns roads in giant electricity-generating solar panels.