Unlocking Interstate Potential: The Ray and UT Austin Release Advanced Mapping Tool
To address the growing demand for modern infrastructure capacity, The Ray has partnered with the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas at Austin to develop a groundbreaking interactive mapping and research tool. The initiative analyzes unpaved roadside areas at exits across the U.S. interstate system to evaluate energy generation potential.
Transforming Idle Land Into High-Value Assets
According to the comprehensive study, most states possess more than 200 miles of interstate right-of-way (ROW) land at interchanges suitable for energy infrastructure deployment. Combined, these underutilized public assets could generate up to 36 TWh per year, providing approximately $4 billion in economic value to State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs).
“As our transportation systems become smarter and electrified, we will need more energy available, closer to the interstate and interstate exits, and more funding to support the infrastructure demands. By enabling energy generation using idle roadsides, our DOTs can help to fill this gap.”
Empowering Data-Backed Decision Making
The web-based tool gives transportation officials in all contiguous 48 states transparent access to projections, allowing policymakers, developers, and investors to evaluate opportunities with clarity and confidence.
Individual states stand to produce thousands of gigawatt-hours annually, unlocking millions of dollars in economic value. Beyond direct energy generation, State DOTs can leverage operational cost savings—such as reduced roadside maintenance—and establish long-term revenue streams spanning project lifecycles of 30 years or more.
Whether agencies choose to own the generation systems directly or partner with third-party developers through land leasing agreements, optimizing roadside acreage provides a scalable pathway to enhance national infrastructure resilience, lower public expenditures, and modernize transportation corridors nationwide.
