System and method for creating a networked infrastructure distribution platform of fixed and mobile solar and wind gathering devices

• US 7,525,210 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Genedics, LLC
• Inventors: Merritt, Edward, Fein, Gene S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/645,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20080149403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.R, 290/43, 290/44, 290/54, 290/55, 415/4.3, 180/165
• US Class Current: 290/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2016/003 solar power driven
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/11 storing electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/25 the apparatus being an electrical generator F03D9/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/46 Tunnels or streets
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/61 for hydrogen and/or oxygen production
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/212 of the Darrieus type
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/9113 which is a roadway, rail track, or the like for recovering energy from moving vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/941 which is a land vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/25 helical
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2250/82 Micromachines
• CPC Class Codes: F24T 10/10 with circulation of working fluids through underground channels, the working fluids not coming into direct contact with the ground
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/30 Wind power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/10 Geothermal energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 : Onshore wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 : Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 : Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

A roadway system for energy generation and distribution is presented. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the roadway system comprises a plurality of ground-based wind energy generating devices, one or more roads, and a roadway system electricity grid. The roadway system may additionally include, for example, a plurality of ground-based solar energy generating devices, one or more vehicle-based solar energy generating devices and one or more vehicle-based wind energy generating devices. The energy generating devices are connected to the roadway system electricity grid and substantially all of the ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned on part of one of the roads or near to one or more of the roads to thereby allow energy generation from wind created from passing vehicles in addition to energy generation from atmospheric wind.

Claims

1. A roadway system for energy generation and distribution, comprising:

a plurality of ground-based wind energy generating devices;

a plurality of roads; and

a roadway system electricity grid electrically connected to a utility grid and configured to distribute electricity to direct power loads and the utility grid;

wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices are electrically connected to the roadway system electricity grid and positioned effectively near the roads to thereby allow energy generation from wind created from passing vehicles in addition to energy generation from atmospheric wind.

2. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices, independently, are positioned on the roads or within 40 feet from the roads.

3. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices, independently, are positioned on the roads or within 25 feet from the roads.

4. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices, independently, are positioned on the roads or within 10 feet from the roads.

5. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the ground-based wind energy generating devices is positioned on the roads or within 25 feet from the roads.

6. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the ground-based wind energy generating devices is positioned on the roads or within 10 feet from the roads.

7. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the roads comprise a median, and a ground-based wind energy generating device is positioned on a median.

8. The roadway system of claim 7, wherein between 0% and 100% (by number) of the plurality of ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned on medians.

9. The roadway system of claim 8, wherein between 20% and 80% (by number) of the plurality of ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned on medians.

10. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein some of the plurality of ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned in a stratum configuration.

11. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned in a stratum configuration.

12. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices, are positioned in a location selected from the group consisting of median and breakdown lane.

13. The roadway system of claim 1, further being characterized by an average distance between any two closest ground-based wind energy generating devices in the range between 5 micrometer and 200 meters.

14. The roadway system of claim 1, further being characterized by an average distance between any two closest ground-based wind energy generating devices in the range between 5 feet to 40 feet.

15. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned along the roads with a density of at least 10 devices per mile of road.

16. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices are positioned along the roads with a density of between 10 and one billion devices per mile of road.

17. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the ground-based wind energy generating devices are equal to or less than 25 feet in height.

18. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the ground-based wind energy generating devices are equal to or less than 10 feet in height.

19. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices are equal to or less than 25 feet in height.

20. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of the ground-based wind energy generating devices comprises a vertical axis turbine.

21. The roadway system of claim 20, wherein the vertical axis turbine is a helix-style turbine.

22. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein said roads are any type of highway, turnpike, pike, toll road, state highway, freeway, clearway, expressway, parkway, causeway, throughway, interstate, speedway, autobahn, superhighway, street, roadway, railroad, train track, car race tack and airplane runway.

23. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein said roads are any type of highway, turnpike, pike, toll road, state highway, freeway, clearway, expressway, parkway, causeway, throughway, interstate, speedway, autobahn, superhighway, street, and roadway.

24. The roadway system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of ground-based solar energy generating devices, wherein the ground-based solar energy generating devices are electrically connected to the roadway system electricity grid and positioned effectively near the roads.

25. The roadway system of claim 24, wherein the ground-based solar energy generating devices are positioned on the roads or within 40 feet from the roads.

26. The roadway system of claim 24 wherein the ground-based wind energy generating devices, optionally, comprise one or more solar energy generating devices.

27. The roadway system of claim 24, wherein the ground-based solar energy generating devices are positioned in a location selected from the group consisting of median, line divider, breakdown lane, guardrail, road light and road sign area.

28. The roadway system of claim 24, further comprising:

a service station along the roads; and

a vehicle, each comprising

a vehicle-based wind energy generating device; and

a vehicle-based energy storage system;

wherein for a given vehicle the respective vehicle-based wind energy generating device is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the vehicle-based wind energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

29. The roadway system of claim 28, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating device, optionally, comprises a solar energy generating device.

30. The roadway system of claim 28, wherein the vehicle-based energy storage system, optionally, is portable to thereby allow exchange of the vehicle-based energy storage system at the the service station.

31. The roadway system of claim 28, further comprising for a given vehicle, a vehicle-based solar energy generating device that is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the respective vehicle-based solar energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

32. The roadway system of claim 24, further comprising:

a service station along the roads; and

a vehicle, comprising

a vehicle-based solar energy generating device; and

a vehicle-based energy storage system;

wherein for a given vehicle the respective vehicle-based solar energy generating device is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the vehicle-based solar energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

33. The roadway system of claim 32, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating device, optionally, comprises a solar energy generating device.

34. The roadway system of claim 32, further comprising for a given vehicle, a vehicle-based wind energy generating device that is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the respective vehicle-based wind energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

35. The roadway system of claim 1, further comprising:

a service station along the roads; and

a vehicle, comprising

a vehicle-based wind energy generating device; and

a vehicle-based energy storage system;

wherein for a given vehicle the respective vehicle-based wind energy generating device is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the vehicle-based wind energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

36. The roadway system of claim 35, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating device, optionally, comprise a solar energy generating devices.

37. The roadway system of claim 35, wherein the vehicle-based energy storage system, optionally, is portable to thereby allow exchange of the vehicle-based energy storage system at the the service station.

38. The roadway system of claim 35, further comprising for a given vehicle, a vehicle-based solar energy generating device that is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the respective vehicle-based solar energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

39. The roadway system of claim 1, further comprising:

a service station along the roads; and

a vehicle, comprising

a vehicle-based solar energy generating device; and

a vehicle-based energy storage system;

wherein for a given vehicle the respective vehicle-based solar energy generating device is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the given vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the vehicle-based solar energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

40. The roadway system of claim 39, wherein the ground-based wind energy generating device, optionally, comprises a solar energy generating device.

41. The roadway system of claim 39, further comprising for a given vehicle, a vehicle-based wind energy generating device that is electrically connected to the vehicle-based energy storage system of the give vehicle to thereby allow deposition of energy generated by the respective vehicle-based wind energy generating device into the vehicle-based energy storage system.

42. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the roadway system electricity grid further comprises means for storing energy generated by the roadway system.

43. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the roadway system electricity grid further comprises means for inverting energy generated by the roadway system.

44. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the roadway system electricity grid further comprises a single power source changing units.

45. The roadway system of claim 1, further comprising means for metering electricity.

46. The roadway system of claim 1, wherein the roadway system electricity grid further comprises one or more backup power systems.