Solar Roadways idea wins Ecomagination Challenge

If Solar Roadways sounds familiar to you, it could be because we reported last year about its prototype funding from the Department of Transportation. Now, to add to the previous $100,000 from the DOT, the startup has won the GE Ecomagination Challenge, along with the $50,000 prize. The Ecomagination Challenge is voted on by the community at their website and received 74,000 votes.

The founders of Solar Roadways, Scott and Julie Brusaw, will use this money to continue research and bring in more talent to the project. According to Scott Brusaw, "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."

The husband and wife team are currently developing a glass case that's as strong or stronger than pavement, which will be used to enclose the solar panels. They are working with university researchers on this, since using glass for the surface of a road has never been done before. The glass needs to have similar traction as pavement as well as the durability to withstand all the elements and motoring abuse all the while maintaining enough transparency for the solar panels below. No easy feat, but the additional prize money and community exposure might help make it happen.
[Source: Wired]