By Andrew Williams •
January 5, 2009
Engineers have created a new type of road capable of turning the vibration caused by cars into electricity.
The revolutionary new surface, created by engineers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, uses piezoelectric crystals embedded in the asphalt to generate up to 400 kilowatts of energy from a 1 kilometer stretch, enough to run eight electric cars.
Commenting on the innovation, a spokesman from the UK Environmental Transport Association said, “Many predict a massive shift to electric cars, and it may be the roads themselves that help provide some of the power needed.”
By Ariel Schwartz •
August 18, 2008
The most efficient form of renewable energy may be right underneath us. Researchers at Worchester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts announced today that they have discovered a method to use road surfaces for solar collection.
The key is using the plentiful heat absorbed by asphalt pavement. By experimenting with different asphalt compositions, the team discovered that heat absorption in pavement can be significantly increased with the addition of highly conductive aggregates such as quartzite. Heat exchangers could be placed a few centimeters under the pavement to collect and use solar energy.
By Ariel Schwartz •
August 13, 2008
Oregon is once again taking the lead with renewable energy by installing the country’s first highway solar energy project. The project will consist of a 104 kW solar photovoltaic system that covers 8,000 square feet and produces 112,000 kWh each year. That’s 28% of the energy needed to power the project’s location, the Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 interchange in Tualatin.
Electricity for the interchange will be provided by PGE. The solar panels will come into play by producing electricity during the day, giving the power to the PGE grid, and getting the equivalent amount of power back at night from PGE to power lighting on the highway.
By Michelle Bennett •
February 5, 2008
I used to work on the Chattooga River, which is the northwest border of South Carolina and Georgia. Designated “Wild and Scenic” by Congress in 1974, it is one of the last undeveloped free-flowing rivers on the east coast. Located in three National Parks, it is carefully protected and jealously regulated by the National Forest Service. Only three professional outfitters are allowed to operate on its pristine waters and enjoy world-class white water rapids. But the proposed development of a major Interstate highway threatens the river. Nearly all attractions in the area are directly connected to the Chattooga or the many local waterfalls; damaging the watershed would damage the outdoor tourist industry, which brings hundreds of thousands of people to the region each year.
The valleys and gorges through which the river flows are beautiful examples of Appalachia’s rich biodiversity.
“Local researchers have established that the Chattooga River watershed is a unique ecotone for the temperate deciduous forest — a transitional area providing habitats for both northern boreal and southern tropical species in one drainage basin” (Bruce et al., 1995).
Many threatened and endangered species live here, and the well-managed head waters ensure that the river is clean and clear. If you don’t mind giardia, you can even drink the water. Tourists travel hundred or thousands of miles to sample the Chattooga’s rugged wilderness, unique and exciting rapids, and get a taste of Hollywood history: Deliverance was filmed here and is often credited for bringing white water sports into the public eye.
