A piezoelectric pad on the Shibuya subway station in Tokyo. Image © Vimeo

We’re always on the lookout for alternative energy options, especially those that are linked with big carbon producers like transportation. But unlike many of the options we’ve shared about before, piezoelectric crystals generate power from mechanical stress, and they can be installed in roads or walkways, as they already have been elsewhere in the world. Now, California is looking to take a step in the same direction with a pilot program, Laura Goldman reports for care2.com:

Energy conservation is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about freeways jammed with idling vehicles.

But in California, which has some of the most congested freeways in the country, that’s about to change. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved a pilot program in which piezoelectric crystals will be installed on several freeways.

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