A SOLAR FUTURE?
The U.S. government sees some promise in the Solar Roadways project. The Federal Highway Administration granted the Brusaws funding so that they could research and develop a paving system using the glass panels. The Solar Roadways team is about to wrap up, or finish, the testing phase, during which it built a prototype parking lot from the solar panels.
A number of laboratories around the country have tested the panels to see if they can withstand the heavy traffic and rough weather that asphalt pavement endures from year to year. The lab results show that not only do the panels meet the requirements, but they can actually handle more weight than they need to.
Roadways and parking lots are not the only surfaces that can be built from the solar panels. They can also be used in playgrounds and other recreation areas. Lighting systems within the panels can mimic any type of hard surface sports court. Users can program the panels to morph into playing areas for tennis, basketball, hockey, and even hopscotch.
FREEWAYS AREN’T FREE
Now, money must be raised to start manufacturing the panel pavement system. It takes a lot of funds to build technology of this type. The Brusaws have raised more than $1 million from ordinary people who learned about the Solar Roadways project through news and social media and want to turn this idea into reality. One million dollars may seem like a lot of money. However, some experts estimate the Brusaws' plan could ultimately cost more than $1 trillion.
Could Solar Roadways be the answer to the world’s ever-growing need for electricity? A lot of obstacles stand in the way of re-creating the highway system out of solar panels. But the Brusaws may just be paving a road to the future.