Solar Roadways‘ Indiegogo campaign hit a major milestone by reaching its funding goal of 1 million dollars over the Memorial Day weekend – and it didn’t stop there. To date, the project – which aims to provide clean energy to the world by taking smart solar panels quite literally to the streets – has exceeded its goal by 67% and counting.
Campaign owners Scott and Julie Brusaw began work on the project in 2006, a full two years before Indiegogo was founded. Although the husband and wife team received two phases of funding from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, investments are scarce for those who don’t live in a financial hub and meet the myriad requirements of the current system’s financial gatekeepers. The Solar Roadways project is revolutionizing technology, and the science behind such advancements is expensive. That their campaign is thriving in Sagle, Idaho – a 1,000 mile drive from the heart of Silicon Valley – is an exciting prospect.
Scott and Julie’s story is a testament to the importance of crowdfunding. We at Indiegogo believe in a future where the power to decide what ideas become a reality lies in the hands of an invested global community. Just look at what’s possible when anyone, anywhere can pitch their cause: it has the potential to become a movement.
Individuals from 42 countries and all 50 of the United States have shown their enthusiasm for smart roadways, and with more than 38,000 funders, Solar Roadways connected with the most contributors an Indiegogo campaign has ever seen.
There’s no knowing what great new idea is on the horizon.
Until the next one, go roadways go!
Soooo how do I purchase this for my home driveway and sidewalk
Can I buy stock ?
Indiegogo campaign hit a major milestone by reaching its funding goal of 1 million dollars over the Memorial Day weekend
Good Luck
I think you guys on projects you really believe in show give the campaigner back 1-2% of the fees that you take.
Great idea and I’m sure there will be glitches like everything. As a contributor, I was wondering how the panels could handle extreme temps without failure. In the Midwest, I’ve seen the temperature go from -25 below to 105
wow
The most successful campaign on IndieGoGo…
I like this, in fact I would like to see this implemented here in Hawaii. If I have to be the first person to put it in then I will. My home is under construction right now in Hilo. I planned on having a small circle driveway with a side walk surrounding the house. I may not need the heating element but I like the lighting idea. this state has jumped on the recycling save the planet band wagon and I’m so glad. I was picturing my roof covered with solar panels, but I would rather have them on the ground, easier to rinse off the dust and dirt, and less slippery to walk on, builds energy for the house, and is made out of recycled products. I say Winner. best Idea I have heard yet. I will be contacting them soon about installation in Hawaii.
This is a very exciting project! a concern expressed to me was that lighting could cause light pollution. it would be great to point out what level of lumens will be and how that compares to highway lighting- Could we actually see in improvement in “night sky” visibility?
What benefit could this possibly have over putting existing solar panels on the sides of the road? In most of the pictures you show there is heavy shadowing on the ground where the solar panels are, with far better positions close by.
The other obvious issues are dirt on the road, shade caused by vehicles, grip of the road in rain / snow, expensive road maintenance, etc etc.
I really don’t see the point in this idea at all.
I hope they come up with technological answers to cover 1) the crumbling infrastructure under the panels, you know, potholes and stuff, 2) the slippery surface when it rains or, worse, snows, or 3) what happens to the “road grid” when repairs or new roads happen. I’m sure everyone else can poke lots of holes in the idea of putting these things everywhere. I think it’s really a niche play in rock solid, new parking lots… and then just hope nobody steals the things in the night…which someone absolutely will.
However, what would be ultra-super-wonderful would be if the roadways could also, besides going directly to the grid, RF broadcast electrical energy into specially-designed electrical vehicles that EVERYONE would drive, containing antennas and the circuitry to draw on that energy. Now THAT’S something altogether of real use that would truly help with global warming. Yes, someone from WPI came up with that idea first! Eat it MIT and Cal Tech!
Great project but I doubt it would have been so successful without the killer Solar Freakin Roadways video–best I’ve ever seen.
There are only 48 continental United States. Hawaii and Alaska are not ‘continental’.