Solar Roadways, Energy and Global Warming Solution

This review has been long over due and I’m excited to finally get to write it.

Awhile ago I was introduced to the idea of solar roadways. You know, like all the roads being made out of solar panels. My first reaction was… well, not exactly positive. I just didn’t think it was all that feasible of a thing to do. Solar Roadways was impractical to me.

There is no better time to say this than now…. Stupid Sucks! Really, the idea Scott & Julie Brusaw has come up with is simply brilliant and I was being closed minded and ignorant about it. Every new technology is going to have its challenges to overcome but that doesn’t mean they aren’t possible.

The more I thought about the possibilities and potential of something like this, the more I realized this is one of those things that would change man kind and the way our world lives. From energy to global warming to traffic management to roadway safety, this could really be the next best invention to the car.

As amazing as the thought of the endless possibilities was, the thought of the astronomical price tag was much more overbearing. Here’s a big shocker though… It would actually cost about the same to produce these solar roadways as it is to produce current asphalt roads. That’s not even taking into consideration what we would get back from them either!

These roadways would literally pay for themselves! I won’t go into detail on the overall cost analysis but if you’re interested, visit Scott & Julie’s cost analysis page. What’s more amazing that you’ll find there is just how many other uses solar roadways would have to us and the world. Less pollution, no more energy problems, safer driving conditions and even better technologies delivered to our homes.

Now think about this idea…. if our roadways were built out of solar panels using a specialized type of glass that is as durable if not more durable than asphalt, had built in lights for traffic management instead of painted lines that wear off, collected our country’s energy needs x3, melted ice during winter and could carry a more advanced communication & data infrastructure, how incredible would that be?

Here is a video of Scott presenting the idea, which better explains how it works.

If you haven’t heard of this already, it’s worth checking out. Before you know it this kind of technology could be put into the roads you’ll be driving on. Solar panels have been developed with increasingly more efficient abilities and lower production costs.

If you’d like to support Solar Roadways, there are many different ways to do so. Bumper stickers, t-shirts, dog shirts , their encouragement list and even myspace. In fact, check out the countries from around the world already supporting the idea!

If you liked this article and/or would like to support and spread the word about this idea you can Digg it.