A Bridge to the Future

This is “Solar Park”, it’s a conceptual combination of bridge/greenhouse/solar factory/wind turbines coming out of Italy, and an excellent example of killing two… three, four birds with one stone.

All at once, Solar Park provides transportation, beautiful vistas, fresh locally grown produce, power from the wind blowing through the valley, and it’s surface is not actually asphalt, it’s a substance that converts the sun’s rays into more energy. All in all, the structure could support the energy demands of 15,000 households.

To truly shift the way we produce energy to a more sustainable model, we can’t just increase efficiency. 50 miles a gallon is not going to be enough. We need combine functions in a healthier way. Bridges that grow fruit. Sidewalks that generate power. Fly-swatters that wind watches. We need to get more creative.