Electromagnetic Energy Harvesting Technology: Key to Sustainability in Transportation Systems

Mohammadreza Gholikhani, Seyed Amid Tahami, Mohammadreza Khalili and Samer Dessouky
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Mohammadreza Gholikhani: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
Seyed Amid Tahami: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
Mohammadreza Khalili: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, TX 78249, USA
Samer Dessouky: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, TX 78249, USA

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: The convergence of concerns about environmental quality, economic vitality, social equity, and climate change have led to vast interest in the concept of sustainability. Energy harvesting from roadways is an innovative way to provide green and renewable energy for sustainable transportation. However, energy harvesting technologies are in their infancy, so limited studies were conducted to evaluate their performance. This article introduces innovative electromagnetic energy harvesting technology that includes two different mechanisms to generate electrical power: a cantilever generator mechanism and a rotational mechanism. Laboratory experimental tests were conducted to examine the performance of the two mechanisms in generating power under different simulated traffic conditions. The experimental results had approximately root mean square power 0.43 W and 0.04 W and maximum power of 2.8 W and 0.25 W for cantilever and rotational, respectively. These results showed promising capability for both mechanisms in generating power under real traffic conditions. In addition, the study revealed the potential benefits of energy harvesting from roadways to support sustainability in transportation systems. Overall, the findings show that energy harvesting can impact sustainable transportation systems significantly. However, further examination of the large-scale effects of energy harvesting from roadways on sustainability is needed.

Keywords: sustainability; energy harvesting; renewable energy; electromagnetic energy; sustainable transportation; sustainability indicators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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