California State Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee has approved a bill for a pilot project that will enable Californian highways to produce green power for thousands of households. While vehicular traffic is mostly seen as a menace, the same can be used to provide renewable energy, if the highways are stuffed with piezoelectric devices that generate power using vibrations produced when cars, trains or people move across the surface.
Researchers believe that a 6-mile stretch of roadway embedded with piezoelectric generators could produce up to 44MW of renewable electric power, which is enough to power 30,800 homes. The best part about the project is that peak energy demands will coincide with rush hour, which will help generate more energy. The technology has already been tested by Israeli company Innowattech and the sensors needed for such an installation are inexpensive, which can help generate renewable energy at a reduced cost.
Via: CNet
