Please, a warm welcome for the addition of both “speed bumps” and “kinetic plates” to the never-ending list of current “green” sources of power. Based on the same idea as the old sleeping policemen, a new generation of “speed bumps” has landed on UK roads. They generate electricity as cars drive over them and are supposed to power streetlights, traffic lights and road signs. The pilot scheme, established in London, could be implemented nationwide – and it includes the use of an “electro-kinetic road ramp” system. These ramps can either be raised to act as a speed bump or laid flat, so that drivers don’t realise they are passing over it.
The concept sounds very interesting, but has to be carefully considered. Indeed, some scientists have already raised the concern that the energy generated by the devices is not really totally “free”. In fact, the ramps capture a tiny amount of energy from each car that passes over them, which increases each vehicle’s fuel consumption by a tiny amount, and makes the green ramps petrol-powered. But perhaps we should not be so negative; after all the system appears particularly funny, especially when it is used to power petrol stations. Thanks to this “revolutionary innovation”, a petrol station can now get free electricity generated by the petrol used in cars that buy petrol from the petrol station. Genius!
