we told you about back in September were the first recipients of a Challenge Award of $50,000. Their project to pave roadways with solar panels received the highest number of community votes on the Ecomagination webpage.

According to Scott Brusaw, the award will be used to further research and attract talent to the Solar Roadways project. “This prize money will give us the funding needed to continue bringing together a team of the best and brightest engineers, scientists, companies, and universities on board,” he said.

The Brusaws are already working with university researchers to develop a glass “case” that’s as strong as or stronger than pavement and can encapsulate solar panels. Once these panels are put together, Brusaw envisions parking lots that can provide power for nearby businesses and eventually a network of roadways that double as a clean electric grid. “Our Phase I research is complete and we’re gearing up for Phase II. So far, so good,” he said. “We have a lot of testing to do, but no roadblocks anticipated!”

Over 74,000 people participated in voting for the Ecomagination Challenge champions. In addition to the prize money, Brusaw said that kind of visibility really helped Solar Roadways gain public support.

“We’re offering an actual solution to so many problems that plague the world today,” he said. “We had a worldwide following before the GE Challenge, but this contest gave us exposure to a very large audience.”

Photo: Mark Dixon/YERT

See Also: Solar Roadways Fix The Grid And Crumbling Pavement

Authors: Keith Barry

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