Solar roads

Sustainability and energy independence have become increasingly prominent buzzwords over the past decade, especially in the face of ever-rising geopolitical concerns. While much of the buzz is unfortunately hollow rhetoric, I'm intrigued by some of the more creative options that have been devised and proposed. These two articles, especially when put together, definitely piqued my interest.

A revolutionary idea that converts existing roadways into a national solar power grid is up for a major cash prize.

Scott Brusaw...is working on a project to encapsulate solar panels in high-strength glass capable of standing up to thousands of cars and trucks passing by each day. He estimates that a single parking lot paved with solar panels — even one where cars are parked — could power the big box store it serves, and a cul-de-sac paved with solar panels could take an entire subdivision off the grid even on a cloudy day.

Eventually, LEDs built into the tops of solar panels placed on highways could move lanes around, create crosswalks, display speed limits and even detect and warn drivers about road hazards like stopped traffic and crossing wildlife. Best of all, the panels could be laid down over existing asphalt.

You can find out more about Scott's idea here. I'm not sure what the long-term viability and scalability of this project might be--especially given the budget constraints of our federal and local governments who manage our highways--but it's at the very least an example of a creative solution to a long-standing problem.

I know there are powerful interests aligned against this type of concept, but it's exactly the kind of thing that our government should be putting resources behind. Instead, they seem more often to be acting to preserve the status quo, one that I would argue is fairly badly broken. Hopefully these kinds of proposals and projects gain traction and lead us to a better place over the next century.

Note: I didn't have a chance here to mention it, but this concept is pretty cool too.

[Wired.com]