Monday, July 27, 2009 at 3:21:04 PM - by Nate Lew

Some states are reportedly considering expanding their use of solar power along unused stretches of highway lands.

A report on the New York Times' Green, Inc. blog says that one effort currently underway is a "solar highway" project in Oregon that features a 104-kilowatt photovoltaic array used to provide power to a highway interchange. Another project involving land along a highway is said to involve a proposed large wind turbine in Massachusetts.

However, the Times report also cites the Green Roadway plan by two entrepreneurs who envision utility-scale clean energy from wind, geothermal and solar energy that would be generated along roadways all over the country.

The two are said to have patents for various ways to make existing roadways more compatible with clean energy generation, including one for tiny wind turbines that could be mounted on things like guardrails and road signs.

Looking ahead, if this trend becomes more widespread, it could be a broader step towards distributed solar energy for the industry, as opposed to large-scale single facilities that generate utility-sized amounts of power.