LAUSR

Abstract Energy harvesting from roadways has the potential to generate electricity for a multitude of roadside data collection and communication applications. Roadside energy harvesters are broadly grouped into three categories on the basis of the energy source tapped: mechanical energy from vehicles, pavement heat, and solar radiation. In terms of harvesting technology, harvesters are grouped into electromagnetic, piezoelectric, thermoelectric, pyroelectric, photovoltaic, and solar heat collector involving liquid or air circulation. This paper provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the literature on each of these energy harvesting technologies. It includes information on the harvesting principle, prototype development, implementation efforts, and economic consideration for each harvesting technology. It concludes that several of these harvesting technologies are sufficiently developed to generate self-sustainable roadside electrical power.