Power generation with peizoelectricity

[dhayalanvk]

I read an article that using peizoelectricity , ideas to generate energy from public movements was tried. How far was it sucess? If this is possible , can we generate energy from vehicles movement on roads?

 

[LURCH]

So far, the cost of installing peizoelectric sensors is far greater than the value of electricity generated. But, yes, if it could be cost effective, it could be used in roads.

 

[uby]

Thusfar it's more of a novelty than a practical solution to our energy needs. The biggest longterm problem, IMHO, is the lack of mechanical robustness. If you want a device that, by definition, must repeatedly deform to generate a useful voltage, then that device must be extremely resistant to fatigue failure. Ceramics don't offer that, nor do the intricate interconnects that must be maintained in the contacting circuitry. When you start talking about putting it on roadways and other environments with frequent catastrophic damage caused by everyday use, the maintenance cost for replacing failed piezos would be huge.

 

[Looser74]

I know that in Japan, for study purposes, piezoelectric sensors have been installed on tokyo station in high traffic areas to generate electricity. Doesn't generate neither volume or good cost, just study.

They look like regular soft tiles and it generates energy while people walk through them.