The Good Earth and Its Roadways

The only planet we know to be inhabited, Earth, with its Sun and atmosphere provide perfect conditions for the development of life for its beings, human and otherwise.

It is only when humanity tinkers with the balance provided by nature that bad things start to happen.

We have seen what happens to the air when we burn fossil fuels to make electricity or to travel in vehicles of all sorts – on land, sea and air. The intelligence that has brought all the “good things of life” at horrible ecological costs is now beginning to consider serious alternatives to the pollution causing, and life threatening, energy generation processes. The world runs on electricity, at least the developed part of it. And a major part of the electricity generated in the United States is made by burning fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas.

And in addition, petroleum consumption by cars and trucks accounts for another major portion of the fossil fuel consumption – and in that sector some rather brilliant thinking has been inspired.

Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic have studied the use of the highway system itself as a source of energy. 4 million miles of roads and streets that constantly soak up the sun’s heat and that dissipates unused at night.

The researchers have found a way to use the heat absorbing properties of asphalt by installing heat exchangers a few inches below the roadway’s surface.

According to Rajib Mallick of the Worcester group, “blacktop stays hot and could continue to generate energy after the sun goes down, unlike traditional solar-electric cells. In addition there is already a massive acreage of installed roads and parking lots that could be retrofitted for energy generation, so there is no need to find additional land for solar farms. Roads and lots are typically resurfaced every 10 to 12 years and the retrofit could be built into that cycle.

Extracting heat from asphalt could cool it, reducing the urban “heat island” effect. Finally, unlike roof-top solar arrays, which some find unattractive, the solar collectors in roads and parking lots would be invisible.”

And so an Idaho-based company called Solar Roadway has gone into the business of constructing “solar roadways.” We wish them luck. And look for growing interest around the country.