Solar Panels on Roadways (or at least sidewalks)

One of the most famous roads from America's past could help set the stage for the highway of the future, at least if a project launched by the Missouri Department of Transportation pans out. MoDOT, as its locally known, plans to become the first public highway department to test out a new type of pavement that not only replaces conventional concrete and asphalt but that also can generate electricity through built-in solar panels. The technology was developed by an Idaho-based start-up called Solar Roadways, and is the brainchild of Scott Brusaw.

Noting that there are about 29,000 square miles of paved roads in the U.S., Scott Brusaw said he believes a significant chunk of the nation's growing energy demands could eventually be generated by switching to solar blocks. For those good at math, there are about 27.8 million square feet per square mile of road, equal to 6.32 million of the blocks. At 44 watts, one square mile would be able to generate a maximum of about 278 megawatts — at least, theoretically. By comparison, U.S. nuclear plants produce anywhere from 479 megawatts to 3.8 gigawatts of power over a 24-hour period, according to the Energy Information Administration.

There are many critics of solar roadways, including the Department of Transportation. The Idaho company is run out of the Brusaw home, and the feasibility of the project -- particularly on a large scale -- have yet to be proved.




Credits:
Carson Coppinger &
http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/1/12077414/solar-panel-roadway-public-test-route-66