Harnessing Tarmac Energy: A Sustainable Solution for Green EV Charging Stations

The future of electric vehicles hinges on reliability, with range anxiety being a critical factor in consumer decision-making. In emerging countries like India, where infrastructure for EVs is still undergoing development and government incentives are pushing for a transition to sustainable options, it is crucial to adopt eco-friendly and efficient solutions. Vehicles in motion represent a vast yet underutilized source of energy. This paper explores innovative methods to harness this kinetic energy through two key technologies: piezoelectricity and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). By capturing energy from vehicular motion, the aim is to create a renewable energy supply to power fast-charging EV stations, addressing both the infrastructure gap and range anxiety sustainably. To further support this, calculations and models simulating the proposed setup has been developed to assess the feasibility and efficiency of harnessing energy from mechanical stress and wind pressure. The proposed idea replicates the installation of piezoelectric strips embedded into the road surface near high-traffic junctions, along with vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) placed along highway medians. The goal of the project is to optimize the placement and configuration of these energy-harvesting technologies in real-world environments. Early results indicate that integrating both piezoelectric and wind turbine systems can generate substantial amount of electricity to power nearby EV charging stations.