Solar Roadways is a company with a single purpose: to replace our nation’s deteriorating highway infrastructure and crumbling power grid with an intelligent highway system that pays for itself through the generation of electricity and doubles as an intelligent, self-healing, decentralized power grid. The Solar Roadway is made of structurally engineered solar panels that are driven upon. These Solar Road Panels contain LEDs for painting the road lines from beneath the surface, a heating element to prevent snow/ice accumulation in northern climates, and a microprocessor board for control and communications.
“We’ve just completed our first prototype Solar Road Panel with funding from a US Department of Transportation Phase I SBIR contract. Phase II involves a commercialization plan to begin the manufacturing process.” said Scott Brusaw, President and CEO of Solar Roadways. A video demonstration of the prototype can be seen on the Solar Roadways website.
The EE Times Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards celebrates the creators of technology who demonstrate leadership and innovation in the global industry and shape the world we live in. Awards will be presented on 27 April during the Embedded Systems Conference Silicon Valley. Awards are presented in 11 categories and are judged by the editors and a blue-ribbon panel of industry experts, comprised of the leading voices of academia, industry and Wall Street executives.
“The 2010 finalists represent the execution of forward-thinking technologies and creativity that captures the imagination of consumers, illustrating the influence that electronics and embedded design professionals have on today’s culture” said Junko Yoshida, editor in chief, EE Times.”
Editor's Note: The image insert is of the Solar Roadways prototype, completed in February. The 3.7 metre square road panel shows the potential of Solar Roadways not only for generating clean solar power but also for improving road safety.
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