Power Beneath the Wheels: A Computational Study of Piezoelectric Road Technology in the Philippines

Abstract

The surge in vehicular traffic and energy demand in the Philippines has signaled the need for alternative energy solutions. Piezoelectric technology, a material that generates electricity when subjected to mechanical stress, has been increasingly researched and tested globally. Given the great potential of piezoelectric systems for providing sustainable energy and smart infrastructure, the study addressed the limited local resources to assess how they could function in the Philippine context. The study applied a computational approach using piezoelectric materials, such as PZT-5J, to model energy output based on vehicle loads. Findings have shown that while the harvested energy output from a single unit is small, the cumulative effect of multiple modules exposed to heavy traffic can produce enough energy to power low-demand applications such as LED streetlights, toll gates, and traffic sensors. Ultimately, the results indicated that piezoelectric road technology is technically feasible in the Philippines, though its success relies on deployment scale, durability, and cost-effectiveness. It is recommended that future work includes pilot testing, advanced simulations, and economic analyses to evaluate its long-term potential within sustainable infrastructure initiatives.