Solar Roadways Could Save the Environment, but are they Safe?
What if all of our current roads, parking lots, sidewalks and outdoor recreational spaces could be replaced by solar panels that could capture energy from the sun? That’s the question posed by Scott and Julie Brusaw, the engineering couple behind Solar Roadways. By now you’ve probably seen the viral video “Solar Freakin’ Roadways”, or at least heard of it. Scott and Julie believe that covering all of our roadways with solar panels would produce three times the amount of energy used annually in the continental United States. But these wouldn’t be just normal solar panels: they would have the ability to light up at night to illuminate dark roadways, heat themselves up to melt snow and ice, and even act as charging stations for electric cars. The possibilities for Solar Roadways could be endless.
Scott and Julie in front of their Prototype
Although the benefits of Solar Roadways seem obvious, many engineers and scientists are skeptical. While they don’t doubt that we need to figure out a way to harvest and use clean, renewable energy, they believe there are cheaper ways to do it. Some scientists believe it would cost about $56 trillion (three times the national debt!) to turn Scott and Julie’s dream into a reality. Some scientists also question how safe it is to drive on glass, which would wear away under the constant weight of cars and trucks and become slippery and dangerous. In addition, would it really make sense to put solar panels in major cities or on freeways, where the sun is usually blocked by cars or tall buildings? There are a lot of questions left about Solar Roadways.
The good news is, the Brusaws know they have a lot of work ahead of them. They have raised almost $2 million in order to hire more engineers to do research on their prototype. They both have an engineering background and know how difficult it is to get a product to be market ready and are ready for the challenges ahead. But even if we don’t end up repaving our roads with solar panels, Scott and Julie have at least sparked an important conversation about how to save our future.
