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Harvesting Solar Energy from Asphalt Pavement

Author

Listed:
  • Md Fahim Tanvir Hossain

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA)

  • Samer Dessouky

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA)

  • Ayetullah B. Biten

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA)

  • Arturo Montoya

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA)

  • Daniel Fernandez

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA)

Abstract

This study aims at designing and developing a new technique to harvest solar energy from asphalt pavements. The proposed energy harvester system consists of a pavement solar box with a transparent polycarbonate sample and a thin-film solar panel. This device mechanism can store energy in a battery charged over daytime and later convert it into electric power as per demand. A wide range of polycarbonate samples containing different thicknesses, elastic moduli, and light transmission properties were tested to select the most efficient materials for the energy harvester system. Transmittance Spectroscopy was conducted to determine the percent light transmission property of the polycarbonate samples at different wavelengths in the visible spectrum. Finite Element Analysis modeling of the pavement–tire load system was conducted to design the optimal energy harvester system under static load. It was followed by the collection of data on the generated power under different weather conditions. The energy harvesters were also subjected to vehicular loads in the field. The results suggest that the proposed pavement solar box can generate an average of 23.7 watts per square meter continuously over 6 h a day under sunny conditions for the weather circumstances encountered in South Texas while providing a slightly smaller power output in other weather circumstances. It is a promising self-powered and low-cost installation technique that can be implemented at pedestrian crossings and intersections to alert distracted drivers at the time of pedestrian crossing, which is likely to improve pedestrian safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Md Fahim Tanvir Hossain & Samer Dessouky & Ayetullah B. Biten & Arturo Montoya & Daniel Fernandez, 2021. "Harvesting Solar Energy from Asphalt Pavement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-25, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12807-:d:683367
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Morbiato, T. & Borri, C. & Vitaliani, R., 2014. "Wind energy harvesting from transport systems: A resource estimation assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 152-168.
    2. Bobes-Jesus, Vanesa & Pascual-Muñoz, Pablo & Castro-Fresno, Daniel & Rodriguez-Hernandez, Jorge, 2013. "Asphalt solar collectors: A literature review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 962-970.
    3. Roshani, Hossein & Dessouky, Samer & Montoya, Arturo & Papagiannakis, A.T., 2016. "Energy harvesting from asphalt pavement roadways vehicle-induced stresses: A feasibility study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 210-218.
    4. Harb, Adnan, 2011. "Energy harvesting: State-of-the-art," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 2641-2654.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sharmarke Hassan & Mahmoud Dhimish, 2022. "Review of Current State-of-the-Art Research on Photovoltaic Soiling, Anti-Reflective Coating, and Solar Roads Deployment Supported by a Pilot Experiment on a PV Road," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-24, December.
    2. Ebrahim Hamid Hussein Al-Qadami & Zahiraniza Mustaffa & Mohamed E. Al-Atroush, 2022. "Evaluation of the Pavement Geothermal Energy Harvesting Technologies towards Sustainability and Renewable Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-26, February.
    3. Roberto De Fazio & Mariangela De Giorgi & Donato Cafagna & Carolina Del-Valle-Soto & Paolo Visconti, 2023. "Energy Harvesting Technologies and Devices from Vehicular Transit and Natural Sources on Roads for a Sustainable Transport: State-of-the-Art Analysis and Commercial Solutions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-46, March.

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