Turning Roads into Power Plants

- Reps.energy is a startup developing technology to capture kinetic energy from vehicles on roadways and convert it into electricity — essentially turning roads into power plants. - The core idea involves embedding piezoelectric or similar energy-harvesting systems beneath road surfaces, so the pressure and vibration of passing cars, trucks, and buses generates usable power. - This sits in a broader category of "energy harvesting" and "smart road" infrastructure, where roads serve a dual purpose: transport and renewable energy generation. - Such systems are still largely experimental or early-stage, with questions around cost, durability under heavy traffic, and how much energy can realistically be captured versus the cost of installation and maintenance. - If viable, it could provide a decentralized energy source for streetlights, sensors, EV charging, or grid feed-in, without needing additional land for solar or wind farms.