California Looks at Highways as a Green Energy Source
California is thinking of making green energy out of running cars on the highway. California Assemblyman Mike Gatto says that the vibration that is caused when cars roll down a street doesn’t grab the attention of people, but it could be put to good use.
A bill for a pilot program has been passed by 6-1 votes in favor in the California State Assembly's Natural Resources Committee yesterday. The bill was first introduced by Mike Gatto of Los Angeles in February this year.
The automotive traffic will generate road vibration that will be converted into energy using Piezoelectric generation. The vibrations of cars, trains and even people as they move across surfaces can be harnessed and converted into energy using piezoelectric materials under the surfaces.
The electricity thus generated can be stores in road side batteries and can be used to power traffic signs and signals. On a larger scale the energy can be fed into the power grid. A 6 mile stretch of roadway can generate 44 megawatts of electricity in a year. This is enough to power 30,800 homes.
It is not a new concept and other nations have already been using the system. Israel has already implemented the system and is using piezoelectric generation on its highways. Italy has plans to install the technology in a stretch of the Venice-to-Trieste Autostrada.
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
APA
Choi, Andy. (2019, March 01). California Looks at Highways as a Green Energy Source. AZoCleantech. Retrieved on January 31, 2026 from https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=14890.
MLA
Choi, Andy. "California Looks at Highways as a Green Energy Source". AZoCleantech. 31 January 2026. <https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=14890>.
Chicago
Choi, Andy. "California Looks at Highways as a Green Energy Source". AZoCleantech. https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=14890. (accessed January 31, 2026).
Harvard
Choi, Andy. 2019. California Looks at Highways as a Green Energy Source. AZoCleantech, viewed 31 January 2026, https://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=14890.
We're committed to providing free access to quality science. By registering and providing insight into
your preferences you're joining a community of over 1m science interested individuals and help us to
provide you with insightful content whilst keeping our service free.
or
Terms
While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena
answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses.
Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or
authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for
medical information you must always consult a medical
professional before acting on any information provided.
Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with
OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their
privacy principles.
Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential
information.
Read the full Terms & Conditions.