California aims to generate electric power from traffic congestion

California is planning a US$2.3 million initiative that will generate electrical power from traffic, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The California Energy Commission recently voted to fund two piezoelectricity projects, which convert pressure into power. One pilot will test a 200-foot-long piece of asphalt on UC-Merced’s campus, which is designing a 200-foot stretch of asphalt that will be sowed with inch-wide piezoelectric generators, which will be stacked within arrays below the road where it is
April 20, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
California is planning a US$2.3 million initiative that will generate electrical power from traffic, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The 4259 California Energy Commission recently voted to fund two piezoelectricity projects, which convert pressure into power.


One pilot will test a 200-foot-long piece of asphalt on UC-Merced’s campus, which is designing a 200-foot stretch of asphalt that will be sowed with inch-wide piezoelectric generators, which will be stacked within arrays below the road where it is hoped they will convert the force of passing cars into a small electrical charge.

The resulting electricity could be used to power nearby lights and signs, stored in batteries or sent to the grid, Sun said. The more traffic there is, and the heavier the vehicles are, the more power can be created. Some state estimates suggest that just 400 cars an hour would need to pass over the arrays to make them economically viable.

The second experiment will be built by the San Jose green technology company Pyro-E. The company's technology is expected to generate enough power to supply 5,000 homes using less than a half-mile of piezoelectric highway.

Both pilot programs are expected, within two to three years, to be able to give California officials an idea whether the effort should be expanded. By developing new technologies like piezoelectricity, the Energy Commission is looking to help meet the Legislature’s target of producing 50 per cent of the state’s power from renewable sources by 2030.

Related Content

  • April 3, 2013
    California to get electric bus assembly plant
    Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producer BYD is to build an assembly plan in Lancaster, about seventy miles north of Los Angeles, to make electric buses for US and Latin American public transportation markets. The facility will be one of only a few making electric buses in the US, where most buses use diesel fuel or compressed natural gas. Michael Austin, vice president of BYD America, said Lancaster's aggressive embrace of solar energy programs was a factor in deciding to build the plant there. "They've been
    Read More
  • May 7, 2013
    South Africa wants electric cars
    In an effort to promote green technology in South Africa, the government will subsidise the production of electric cars, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said at the launch of the Electronic Vehicle Industry Road Map, which he hopes to submit to the cabinet for approval by September. According to a recent report, South African vehicle manufacturers would qualify for a 35 per cent production subsidy if they locally produced at least 5,000 electronic cars. There are currently three solar-powered chargin
    Read More
  • October 21, 2016
    Caltrans takes the long view of transport
    Caltrans’ Malcolm Dougherty took time out of his schedule at ITS America 2016 in San Jose to talk to ITS International about current and future challenges. As director of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) since mid-2012, many would say that Malcolm Dougherty has one of the best jobs in transportation. Caltrans is one of the most progressive and innovative transport authorities, implementing policies to encourage cycling, piloting new
    Read More
  • April 11, 2012
    Hydrogen filling station operating in California
    Linde North America, a specialist in the design, construction and operation of hydrogen vehicle fuelling systems, has commissioned an installation at AC Transit, the bus operator for 13 cities in the East Bay Area, including Emeryville, Oakland and Berkeley, and also operates trans-bay service to San Francisco. The Emeryville hydrogen fuelling station, which is now fuelling 12 fuel cell buses and up to 20 passenger cars a day, is one of two Linde is supplying to AC Transit. The second, located at the Oaklan
    Read More

Highlighted Content