Solar Roadways

About the offering

Solar Roadways is developing modular, intelligent pavement panels that replace traditional road surfaces with hexagonal solar-powered tiles capable of generating clean energy, displaying dynamic LED lighting, and heating to prevent snow and ice accumulation. The company envisions transforming virtually all walking and driving surfaces—roads, parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, playgrounds, airports, and military bases—into distributed power plants with embedded intelligence. The company recently completed its first US military base installation at an Army base in New Hampshire.The ProblemUS infrastructure is deteriorating: the American Society of Civil Engineers gave US roadways a "D" on the 2025 report card. Pothole damage alone cost drivers $26.5 billion in 2021. Over 70% of the nation's roads are in snowy regions, where 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on icy pavement, killing over 1,300 people and injuring 116,800 annually. Painted road lines have a service life of only one to two years, become invisible when wet or snow-covered, and cannot adapt to changing conditions. Meanwhile, the electrical grid is aging and vulnerable to extreme weather, cyberattacks, and growing demand from AI and electrification. Traditional pavement absorbs solar energy as waste heat rather than converting it to electricity.The SolutionThe SR5 Solar Road Panel is a hexagonal modular unit containing 48.94 watts of high-efficiency (23.7%) solar cells, four independently operated heating zones with temperature sensors, multi-color LEDs capable of displaying 16 million colors for dynamic road markings and signage, and a microprocessor with wireless communication capabilities. Key design improvements in the SR5 include an external "Brain Box" allowing upgrades without replacing the entire panel, white circuit boards and aluminum base replacing rubber to dissipate heat, weight reduction from 75 to 35 pounds, and a new cabling system with Consolidator Box for faster installation. The panels are engineered to support vehicles up to 250,000 pounds. The system uses microinverters to convert DC to AC power, with shading from parked vehicles affecting only panels directly underneath.Business ModelRevenue would come from panel sales and installation across public infrastructure (roads, military bases, airports, rail stations), commercial applications (parking lots, retail facilities), and private sector (driveways, patios, playgrounds, pool decks). The company has established a national distributor/installer partnership with Jordan Construction Company, which operates across 48 states serving clients including Walmart, Kohl's, Home Depot, and others. Manufacturing is handled through ElringKlinger, an international manufacturing partner with facilities in 19 countries. Software for panel control is developed by IntelliTect, a consulting firm in Spokane, Washington. The company calculates ROI through energy generation, reduced maintenance costs, reduced insurance liability, and safety improvements.TractionThe company just completed (2025) its first US military base installation at an Army base in New Hampshire, including walkways and a portion of a parking lot for vehicle testing. Solar Roadways has completed seven government grants and partnered with the US Department of Transportation, the US Army, and the US Air Force. The technology has passed rigorous engineering tests and won several industry awards. The company has raised over $4.7M from 50,000+ donors and investors and claims interest from every US state and most countries worldwide. The viral "Solar Freakin' Roadways" video has been viewed more than 22 million times. The company reports interest from railroad companies, utility companies, airports, hospitals, and military bases, though these are described as expressions of interest rather than committed contracts. No revenue figures, production volumes, or order backlog were disclosed.Market OpportunityThe company positions its addressable market as virtually all walking and driving surfaces on earth—over 4 million miles of roadway in the US alone plus parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, playgrounds, airports, and military bases globally. The company calculates that converting all roads in the lower 48 states to Solar Roadways could produce over three times the electricity the US currently uses annually. The company frames this as a "completely new category of energy" with "virtually unlimited global market potential."TeamPresident, CEO, and Co-Founder Scott Brusaw (MSEE) has been the chief engineer at Solar Roadways since founding, with over 35 years of electrical engineering experience. Co-Founder Julie Ann Brusaw (MA in Psychology) is involved in all aspects of the company. Vice President of Operations Alyssa Delbridge (MS) works in design, R&D, logistics, installation, and project management, with degrees in environmental science and chemistry.Key PartnershipsManufacturing partner ElringKlinger is a large international company with facilities in 19 countries, producing panels at US facilities for domestic installations. Jordan Construction Company operates across 48 states building large parking lots for major retailers and has been trained in Solar Road Panel installation. IntelliTect provides software architecture and development for the panel control system.Future EnhancementsPlanned future capabilities include autonomous vehicle communication and guidance, dynamic EV charging while driving (collaboration begun with a manufacturer), disaster relief deployments, the "Color Roadie" pedestrian safety device (which won a Colorado DOT contest), advertising panels with high-density LEDs for entertainment venues, and temporary plug-and-play installations for events.

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