Electricity generation from Highways

Submitted by johnmcgovern on Tue, 04/03/2007 - 09:25.

I recall seeing this idea on RealNEO a while back.  Check the following links for means by which we could potentially utilize our existing highway infrastructure to generate electricity.

  Harvesting energy from any body of mass in motion: 
http://www.kinergypower.com

  The new 'jersey barrier': exploring the urban highway's potential for wind power: http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=2466

Really fascinating article on innovations with wind

Very cool, John. Imagine the engineering, manufacturing and construction required for what would be 1,000,000s of smaller turbines. And, from the article you linked, "In response to the corresponding need for trained professionals, the School of Engineering Techno­logy and Applied Science in Toronto’s Centennial College launched the Centennial Energy Institute last October to educate students in developing and maintaining systems for power generation using the resources of the landscape." Now that is the type of innovation the Wind Working Group should be putting into motion... the NEO Energy Institute... another good use for the Breuer.

Disrupt IT

great idea--starting with what you have

John, this is a good way to start solving a problem--beginning with what you have at hand, and leveraging off the current situation. This kind of thinking needs to get a lot more play--it's more along the lines of evolutionary change, without the pain and inconvenience of total disruption and revolution.

this is so cool

Did you send this to the Ohio Rail Hub guys and the new ODOT guy (whose name I can't remember because I am so sleepy)? What a good point of departure for a fresh look at our Innnerbelt project!