By Gold Jeremiah

When people think about energy, they usually picture solar panels, wind turbines, oil rigs, or hydropower dams. But around the world, scientists and engineers are developing technologies so unusual that they sound like science fiction.

Imagine roads that generate electricity when vehicles drive over them, floors that harvest energy from footsteps, and highways that act like giant solar power plants. These innovations may not replace conventional energy sources anytime soon, but they reveal how creative the search for cleaner and smarter energy has become.


1. Roads that generate electricity from traffic

Every day, millions of vehicles travel on roads, creating pressure, vibrations and heat. Researchers have found ways to capture some of this wasted energy.

One approach uses piezoelectric materials embedded beneath road surfaces. These materials generate electricity when compressed by the weight of passing vehicles. Studies show that a single piezoelectric transducer can produce measurable electrical energy from traffic loads, while larger installations can generate enough electricity to power roadside sensors, traffic signs and monitoring equipment. Research suggests that a 100-metre piezoelectric roadway could generate energy equivalent to the battery capacity of dozens of mobile phones daily.

Although the technology is still expensive, experts believe it could play an important role in powering smart transportation systems in the future.

2. Solar roads: Turning highways into power plants

What if roads could generate electricity just like rooftops?

That idea has led to the development of photovoltaic roads, where solar cells are embedded beneath durable transparent surfaces. Instead of leaving vast road networks unused, engineers are exploring ways to transform them into electricity-generating assets.


A 2026 review of pavement energy technologies found that photovoltaic road systems can potentially produce more than 400,000 kilowatt-hours per lane-mile annually under favourable conditions. That amount of electricity is roughly comparable to the yearly consumption of dozens of average households.

While challenges such as durability, maintenance and cost remain, the concept demonstrates how infrastructure can serve multiple purposes beyond transportation.


3. Harvesting energy from heat beneath the asphalt

Roads absorb enormous amounts of solar heat every day. In many cities, asphalt temperatures can become significantly higher than surrounding air temperatures.

Engineers are now experimenting with asphalt solar collectors, which use pipes embedded beneath road surfaces to capture heat energy. The collected heat can then be used for nearby buildings, district heating systems, or snow and ice removal during winter.

Some studies estimate that solar-thermal pavement systems can recover more than 500,000 kilowatt-hours per lane-mile annually, making roads potential energy resources rather than passive infrastructure.

4. Electricity from your footsteps

Every step a person takes contains energy. Normally, that energy disappears into the ground. But special flooring systems can capture part of it.

Known as kinetic flooring, these systems use pressure-sensitive materials that generate electricity whenever people walk across them. The technology has been installed in busy public spaces, train stations and event venues to power lighting, displays and sensors.

The amount of electricity produced by a single step is small. However, in locations where thousands of people pass daily, the energy can accumulate into a useful power source. Beyond the electricity generated, the technology also helps raise public awareness about energy consumption and sustainability.


5. Roads that produce power from temperature differences

Another unusual innovation involves thermoelectric generators.

These devices exploit temperature differences between hot road surfaces and cooler layers beneath them. Using the Seebeck effect, they convert heat gradients directly into electricity without moving parts. Researchers consider thermoelectric systems among the most promising roadway energy-harvesting technologies because of their reliability and relatively mature development stage.

Although power output remains modest, such systems could provide energy for remote sensors, communication devices and smart infrastructure.


The Bigger Picture

Many of these innovations are unlikely to compete directly with utility-scale solar farms, wind projects or conventional power plants. In fact, researchers caution that several technologies currently make more sense for powering sensors, lighting systems and monitoring equipment than for supplying large amounts of electricity to the grid.

Yet their value lies in turning previously wasted energy into something useful. Roads, sidewalks and public spaces occupy vast areas worldwide. If even a small fraction of their untapped energy can be captured economically, cities could become cleaner, smarter and more energy-efficient.

The future of energy may not only come from giant power stations. It could also come from the road beneath your car, the pavement under your feet, or the very footsteps you take every day.


Sources:

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2. Vizzari, D., Sangiorgi, C., Tataranni, P., & Simone, A. (2021). Pavement Energy Harvesting Technologies: A Critical Review. RILEM Technical Letters, 6, 109–118.

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4. Wang, H., Jasim, A., & Chen, X. (2021). Energy Output of Piezoelectric Transducers and Pavements Under Simulated Traffic Loads*. Journal of Cleaner Production, 292, 126028.

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8. Birgin, H. B., García-Macías, E., D'Alessandro, A., & Ubertini, F. (2023). Self-Powered Weigh-in-Motion System Combining Vibration Energy Harvesting and Self-Sensing Composite Pavements. arXiv Preprint.