#EHD013 Solar & Piezo Power Generation System on bridge and Street Lighting System.

Solar & Piezo Power Generation System on bridge and Street Lighting System.

Project Overview

This project presents an innovative, dual-source renewable energy solution designed for modern infrastructure, specifically focusing on bridges and roadways. The system captures energy from two distinct environmental sources: solar radiation and mechanical vibration. Solar panels mounted on the top of the bridge structure convert sunlight into electrical energy during the day. Simultaneously, piezoelectric sensors (simulated or integrated into the roadway) are designed to harvest kinetic energy from the pressure and vibrations of passing vehicles. This harvested energy is managed by an Arduino-based control system and stored in rechargeable batteries to power the bridge’s integrated street lighting system and digital status displays. By combining these technologies, the bridge becomes a self-sustaining power plant, reducing the need for external grid connectivity and enhancing road safety through automated illumination.

Key Advantages

• Dual Energy Harvesting: Combines solar and mechanical energy for increased reliability.

• Self-Sustaining Infrastructure: Powers streetlights and sensors without grid electricity.

• Environmentally Friendly: Reduces carbon footprint by utilizing clean, renewable sources.

• Day and Night Operation: Solar works by day, while piezoelectric harvesting works as long as there is traffic.

• Smart Automation: Integrated sensors allow for energy-efficient "light-on-demand" features.

Materials Used

• Arduino Nano

• Solar Panels

• Piezoelectric Transducers/Sensors

• 18650 Li-ion Batteries & Holder

• I2C LCD Display (16x2)

• LED Street Lights

• Voltage Regulator/Buck Converter Module

• Ultrasonic Sensors (for vehicle detection)

• LDR (Light Dependent Resistor) (for automatic night sensing)

• Bridge Structure Model

• Connecting Wires and Breadboard

Future Work

Future developments for this system could include the integration of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) to monitor the structural health of the bridge in real-time, using the harvested energy to power strain and crack sensors. Additionally, implementing IoT-based monitoring would allow city authorities to track energy production and traffic density remotely via a cloud dashboard. To improve efficiency, supercapacitors could be added alongside the batteries to better handle the rapid, high-frequency energy bursts generated by piezoelectric sensors from fast-moving traffic. Finally, the system could be scaled to include Electric Vehicle (EV) wireless charging pads embedded in the bridge deck, utilizing the stored surplus energy to provide a small "boost" charge to vehicles as they pass over.