Denice R. Preston
A crowdfunding campaign gained some recognition recently for its unique approach to paved areas around the world.
The Solar Roadways concept plans to replace concrete and asphalt roads with solar panels. They also plan to extend it to driveways, communal areas and pretty much anything made of hard material, providing a number of very economical and environmental benefits to the spaces.
But those are plain and boring. We’re more interested in the fun things we could do with solar powered roadways.
Marriage proposals just hit version 3.0
A key part of the Solar Roadways project is that the panels have lights embedded in them. Forget the benefits that this will have for traffic control – what about those hopeless romantics that are looking to go above and beyond? Solar roadways will provide them with the canvas to showcase their true love for ‘The One’. On second thought, maybe we shouldn’t invest in this…
National holidays and public celebrations go digital
How much money do cities spend on fireworks and ticker-tape every time there is something to celebrate? Surely that’s our hard earned tax dollars that could be better spent on hosting the much anticipated squash showdown between Australia and Bangladesh (or any other hyped up sporting event that pundits are telling us is important). With solar roadways, fireworks displays just got digital, giving all the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ without the mess.
Live speed checkers
Getting back to driving, solar powered roads could make one of the highways best additions a more permanent feature on roads around the world. Going through a speed checkpoint on a highway is always a joyous occasion. Am I over? Am I under? Am I on the money? Am I in the faulty lane and don’t get a reading at all? So many possibilities. Solar roadways will make these fun filled drive-throughs more common and won’t have to rely on an overpass to showcase speeds. Success!
Your morning news as you sit at the lights
It’s never long before the corporations start sinking their claws into new technology and solar roadways will be no different. We see a big opportunity for news companies to take advantage of red light downtime to give you the news of the day (with a few sponsors messages slotted in for good measure).
Alerting you of a driverless car
With Google’s driverless cars set to take over the world in the coming years, these two innovative pieces of technology could combine. Imagine this – you’re driving along and the road alerts you to a Google driverless car ahead of you. You overtake and give them a glare and a shake of the head, much like people used to do to smart car owners before they took over the city streets. There’s always an initiation period and solar roadways can provide us with the means to be that much more effective.
Pimp-my-driveway
Solar roadways aren’t just for, ah, the roadways. The technology can be extended to paved surfaces everywhere, including your very own driveway. We can see it now, an elderly Xzibit granting average joes with their long held wish of having the most pimped out driveway in the street. It’ll revitalise his career.
When it comes to solar roadways, your imagination is the only limit.
