Exploratory Advanced Research . . . Next Generation Transportation Solutions

this technique will provide a method to 

recapture energy lost to pavement deformation 

from traffic loading that would otherwise be 

lost and convert it to electricity for 

transportation infrastructure needs, such as 

lighting or distributed sensing for improved 

operations or health monitoring. It introduces 

the concept of an entirely new method of smart 

pavement, capable of self-powering, that can 

be installed in existing pavements or new 

roadways with negligent changes to roadway 

surface profile. The system must be highly 

resistant to damage from vehicles and adverse 

weather while also being low in installation and 

maintenance costs. 

Harvesting Energy

When a vehicle is driven on a road, part of its 

driving energy is turned into mechanical energy 

in the form of deformation and vibration. The 

energy is ultimately lost as heat but part of this 

excess mechanical energy may be harnessed 

and converted into usable energy. This project 

examines a kinetic-to-electric conversion 

(KEEC) system that could be used to harvest 

this mechanical energy as vehicles pass over. 

The piezoelectric technology implemented by 

the KEEC system exploits the electric charge 

that accumulates in certain solid materials 

when a force or stress is applied. The aim is to 

use this technology to capture excess kinetic 

energy from within pavements up to 1.5 in 

(3.8 cm) below the surface.

The System

The KEEC system consists of multiple generators, 

each constructed of thin piezoelectric ceramic 

and polymer layers. Researchers plan to develop 

the KEEC system and initially evaluate it in two 

full-scale instrumented pavement sections. 

Laboratory experiments and field testing will be 

conducted to develop the piezoelectric generator 

and produce a KEEC system that is durable and 

optimized for energy output. The system will be 

evaluated under controlled and real traffic 

conditions in preparation for broader 

implementation. If successful, the system will 

ultimately be used to generate and supply 

The Exploratory Advanced Research Program Fact Sheet

Renewable Energy in the Right-of-Way

The transportation sector consumes about one 

third of the national energy production, and is 

responsible for more than one third of the 

pollution.2 Although recent development of 

fossil fuel resources in the United States show 

promise for the short term in meeting excess 

demand, in the long run fossil energy prices are 

expected to rise. The innovation potential in 

harnessing renewable resources now will make 

it likely to be competitive in the future. 

There are many renewable energy 

technologies to explore, including solar, wind, 

and geothermal, but piezoelectric energy 

harvesting has two unique advantages of 

particular relevance to pavement applications in 

the public-right-of-way. First, the technology 

can harvest the excess energy lost in pavement 

deformation and vibrations caused by the more 

than 250 million registered vehicles in the United 

States.3 Second, piezoelectric materials may 

also serve as part of a smart-sensing network 

capable of indicating the overall integrity of the 

pavement structure while satisfying functional 

requirements.

A New Pavement Concept

This research represents an important step for 

a U.S.-based full-scale evaluation of piezoelectric 

generators in roadway pavements. If successful 

The United States has over 4-million mi(6-million km) of roadways.1 The 

renewable energy potential on this size of 

land is enormous and could significantly

contribute to the electricity demands of 

the United States. Developing piezoelectric

technology to harness this unused power is 

the goal of “New Technologies for 

Development of Renewable Energy in the 

Public Right-of-Way,” a Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) Exploratory Advanced

Research (EAR) Program study awarded to 

the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI).

Harnessing Pavement Power 

Developing Renewable Energy Technology in the Public Right-of-Way

1 2010 Status of the Nation’s Highways, Bridges, and Transit: Conditions and Performance, Federal Transit Administration, Washington, DC, 2010 (http://www.

fhwa.dot.gov/policy/2010cpr/pdfs/cp2010.pdf).

2 Monthly Energy Review, U.S. Energy Information Administration, Washington, D.C., May 2013 (http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/pdf/mer.pdf). 3 2013 Pocket Guide to Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Washington, DC, 2013 (http://www.

rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/pocket_guide_2013_1.pdf).
electricity for various transportation operational 

demands. 

A comprehensive report will be produced as 

part of this project, describing how the 

piezoelectric generator and KEEC system are 

manufactured, installed, operated, and maintained, 

as well as the background information on the 

theories used in developing the technology.

Renewable Energy Challenges

A limiting issue with most renewable energy 

sources is their dependence on unpredictable 

resources such as wind and solar. In other cases, 

such as tidal or geothermal, the resource may be 

too far from the demand for practical use. The 

KEEC technology differs because it has an ensured 

energy input derived from 

the flow of traffic. The KEEC 

does require some pavement 

deformation to operate and 

is more suited for flexible 

pavement applications, 

which limits the amount of 

locations for implementation. 

The presence of a reliable 

traffic pattern is also a factor 

that may limit the application 

to areas such as deceleration 

zones where traffic is 

expected to have excess 

energy loss regardless of the presence of the KEEC 

generators. 

System Impact

It is not expected that the KEEC system will 

replace major power sources such as coal, natural 

gas, or nuclear; however, widespread use of the 

technology could measurably offset utility 

charges associated with roadway operational 

demands, such as lighting and signals. It may also 

serve as an energy source for distributed 

infrastructure health monitoring systems involving 

networked sensors and wireless communication 

of data. The current sensor designs provide 0.03 

kWh (0.108 MJ) of power per month. It would 

therefore require 15,840 generators per mi (1.6 

km) to generate enough power for 36 typical 

homes, requiring installation in 75 mi (120 km) of 

pavement. At this early stage it is expected that 

advances in materials and manufacturing 

processes will yield significantly better results in 

the future at reduced cost. “This project is well 

What Is the Exploratory 

Advanced Research Program?

FHWA’s Exploratory Advanced Research 

(EAR) Program focuses on long-term, highrisk research with a high payoff potential. 

The program addresses underlying gaps 

faced by applied highway research 

programs, anticipates emerging issues 

with national implications, and reflects 

broad transportation industry goals and 

objectives. 

To learn more about the EAR Program, 

visit the Exploratory Advanced Research 

Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/

advancedresearch. The site features 

information on research solicitations, 

updates on ongoing research, links to 

published materials, summaries of past 

EAR Program events, and details on 

upcoming events. For additional 

information, contact David Kuehn at FHWA, 

202-493-3414 (email: david.kuehn@dot.gov), 

or Terry Halkyard at FHWA, 202-493-3467 

(email: terry.halkyard@dot.gov). 

aligned with EAR Program goals to identify 

technologies, materials, and approaches that 

can change the role of public right-of-way in a 

more productive manner toward energy 

production and storage,” said Eric Weaver at 

FHWA. “This innovative technology may lead 

to a significant reduction in highway agency 

operating costs and reduce the overall 

environmental impact of roadways,” he added.

Learn More

For more information on this EAR Program 

project, contact Eric Weaver, FHWA Office of 

Infrastructure Research and Development, at 

202–493–3153 (email: eric.weaver@dot.gov). 

Publication No. 

FHWA-HRT-13-094

HRTM-30/09-13(1M)E

Harnessing Pavement Power 

Developing Renewable Energy Technology in the Public Right-of-Way

Image other side: Field 

testing the piezoelectric 

generator.

Credit: © Virginia Tech 

Transportation Institute

The kinetic-to-electric 

conversion system 

undergoing laboratory 

testing.

© Virginia Tech Transportation Institute