Oregon Launching First Solar Highway in the US
Oregon is once again taking the lead with renewable energy by installing the country’s first highway solar energy project. The project will consist of a 104 kW solar photovoltaic system that covers 8,000 square feet and produces 112,000 kWh each year. That’s 28% of the energy needed to power the project’s location, the Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 interchange in Tualatin.
Electricity for the interchange will be provided by PGE. The solar panels will come into play by producing electricity during the day, giving the power to the PGE grid, and getting the equivalent amount of power back at night from PGE to power lighting on the highway.
The whole project will literally be Oregon-powered, as companies based in-state will provide materials, design, and installation.
Next year, the Oregon Department of Transportation plans to look at more highway project proposals. Eventually, the department would like to generate 2 million kWh every year with the new projects. They also are looking for proposals that showcase new ways to utilize solar energy, such as solar panels that double as sound walls near highways.
So if you happen to have any good ideas, get in touch with ODOT— they’re clearly open to progress.
Posts Related to Solar Energy:
- Nanoantenna Arrays Seen As Possible Solar Cell Replacement
- Solar Power From Outer Space Could Reduce Fossil Fuel Dependence
You Might Also Like
Solar Parking Lots for Electric Bikes in Tokyo
Aluminium Giant to Make Solar CSP Cheaper
U.S. Sen. Mark Udall Unveils Community Solar Gardens Bill
550MW First Solar Project to Supply Two California Utilities
August 13th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Many folks at ODOT are very forward thinking and sustainably minded, especially Alison Wiley. Her blog has a post about Oregon’s Solar Highway~ and countless others around the topics of global warming, transportation, living simply, and attaining happiness by focusing on what is most important in our lives.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Power the highway? What does that mean?
August 14th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Sounds like “powering the highway” means powering the lights along the highway.
August 16th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Oregon Launching First Solar Highway in the US | nerdd.net…
\r\nIn Oregon, road side solar panels will power the highway it sits next to. \r\nNext year, the Ore…
August 16th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Well, it only says 28% of the highway? I think it’s great that they’re using solar energy to power core resources, but saying “First Solar Highway” makes it sound like 100% of the energy is solar.
With this argument, you could say that there have been many precedents, with highway call boxes long ago powered by photovoltaics. Isn’t that a “solar powered highway”?
August 16th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Yeah how about a bulleted list of those items powered by the solar panels? Lights? OK, anything else? “112,000 kWh each year” is only enough power to provide “28% of the energy needed to power the project’s location” All the photo shows is a mountain view with no buildings and some telephone poles. Where’s the power going?
August 16th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Would the turbines above freeways be able to collect more power than solar panels?
August 16th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Whoops, wrong thread. Sorry.
—-
Sounds pretty lossy with the beam down energy dissipating with the square of the distance. Better to hang giant mirrors and do all of the transduction on the ground. Isn’t this just another source of global warming though?
August 16th, 2008 at 11:13 am
“Power the highway? What does that mean?”
Power the lights in the highway at night. Unless they’ve found some kick ass way to shoot electricity through the asphalt to power the cars … if so I’m moving to Oregon
August 16th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Why would PGE cooperate? Like all big corps they would sell their own mother to turn a buck. This means free electricity. There must be a catch. Waiting for the shoe to drop.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:49 am
wow, this is great. i’m proud to be an oregonian. i hope oregon will someday become the first state to have all highways run on solar energy. this is amazing! thank you ODOT!
August 16th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
The tweaker wire thieves will love this new source of income.
August 16th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
They have a long history of exploring progressive methods. Their beach clearing technology is astounding!
August 16th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Waiting for the shoe to drop,
there is a catch, PG&E is required to produce a certain amount of their power generation from renewable energy resources, they will get massive rebates to sponsor this project. That is the reason why PGE is cooperating. Try installing solar panels on your own home or business, that is when PG&E starts to become a pain in the ass and throws many road blocks in the way when individuals start to produce their own energy.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
ohmy ….
August 16th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
[...] Oregon Launching First Solar Highway in the US Oregon is once again taking the lead with renewable energy by installing the country
August 17th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
[...] Oregon Launching First Solar Highway in the US Oregon is once again taking the lead with renewable energy by installing the country
August 17th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I’m very glad that Oregon is doing the right thing and sourcing all of the ingredients locally. It will be so much beneficial for the local economy.
August 17th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
It’s only going to be powering 28% of the road loads and such at that freeway intersection, but keep in mind that it’s being described as a “solar demonstration project”, something of a proof-of-concept that this sort of thing really can be done. Sounds like the intent is, if it goes well, to follow with more significant such projects.
More at http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/16563
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:16 am
This is a great project with great initiative. I wonder if they have looked into LED street lights to cut power usage. There was a company from here in australia that is trialing LEDs on a new freeway in china. These can really save on the traditional sodium lamp(or similar)
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Two questions:
1. How much will this cost to install and maintain versus the current cost of electricity?
2. Does Oregon even have sunlight?
September 8th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
cover those center dividers with thin cell sheets. every 50 miles have a power station.
September 9th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Ariel Schwartz, this article would be much better if it was written for people who don’t know about this project, rather than those who do. We have to make assumptions as to what “powering the project’s location” means, explaining acronyms – PGE – and anwering the other questions already listed in this blog. It is also unclear what this system does during the day and night in working with PGE. It would also be helpful to know if all that is going into this project really is efficient generation of electricity. Good start at presenting an interesting idea. Thanks anyway!
September 11th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
You just have to have doubts when any corporations are involved, have they ever done anything free for the common man? It will be a slow process to change this country to think green, as long as we continue to fight the big companies maybe we’ll get to where we should have been years ago. How to charge people for something they get for free is where they’re problem exsists.
June 3rd, 2009 at 3:14 am
AH yes, I have been running a blog on the solar highway as a way to promote interest in it. Check it out if you don’t know much about it.
http://www.pixnorth.com/dump1/blogs/solarhighway/blog.php
November 19th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
The Solar Highway is a boondoggle that will costs taxpayers millions, provide a nominal amount of electricity and take over 100 years to provide a return on the tax payers investment.
Why won’t the media report the facts?