Overview and Experimental Study of Piezolectric Energy Harvesters for Roadway Applications

The continuous trend for transportation electrification imposes modern and innovative solutions in terms of hybridization and energy harvesting in roadway infrastructures (e.g., highways, charging points etc.). In this context, piezoelectric energy harvesters have emerged as a promising solution (combined with small battery energy storage units), for suppling low-power wireless sensor networks, traffic lights and indicators. This paper presents a literature review regarding piezoelectric energy harvesting technology, focusing on road transportation applications. Piezoelectric element types, materials and characteristics, power conversion techniques and applications are comprehensively studied and discussed. In parallel, an experimental assessment is performed in laboratory scale (emulating realistic conditions) and on the road, under realistic conditions. Experimental measurements indicate the applicability and suitability of piezoelectric energy harvesting in roadways and transportation infrastructure.