In the present scenario where alternate sources of energy are taking over the detrimental conventional ones, Israel based Innowattech has come up with ‘Parasitic energy harvesting’. The company brags about holding patents to technologies that can convert mechanical energy from the speeding vehicles into electricity and looks forward to apply this technology to our highways, railroads, and airport runways.

The new technology called Innowattech Piezo Electric Generator (IPEG) is based on converting energy from weight, motion, vibration and temperature changes that occur in the piezoelectric material when vehicles passing over it cause mechanical strain and deformation. The company has created three diverse versions of these generators namely, a Roadway Generator, a Railroad Generator, and a Runway Generator. IPEGs claimed to produce 150kW of electricity per hour when laid on 1km of a railroad and about 0.5mW (500kW) of electricity per hour if it is 1km long roadway could be connected to local electric grids.

Not only this, the IPEGs can also record the weight, frequency and speed of passing vehicles as well as the spacing between vehicles in real time thereby creating smart roads and alert drivers and emergency responders at airports. This innovative green technology doesn’t need you to change any of your vehicles or preferences. All you have to do is drive!

Source: Hot Hardware