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Solar Powered Microgrid Utility Median Barrier at Rhode Island Highways

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As climate change accelerates and energy demands continue to increase, innovative solutions to generate sustainable solar power are essential in today’s race to lower greenhouse gas emissions and air particle matter for healthier ecosystems. In the State of Rhode Island, local municipalities wrestle with solar permit applications and ordinances that restrict the installation of utility-scale solar systems in landscapes as well as some residential zones. Yet, the State of Rhode Island’s 2021 Act on Climate law, signed on April 21, 2021, establishes the requirements for the State to achieve Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 (1).

dkg Solar Powered Microgrid Utility Median Barrier at Rhode Island Highways

Rendering of an integrated Highway Median PV Microgrid system to power Rhode Island Image: E2SOL / By James Reid, Environmental Science Analyst

 

I was recently captivated by the Rhode Island-based company E2SOL’s “Smart Solar Highway” Project when I stumbled upon it on their website during a recent web search. The idea of transforming something as mundane as highway concrete barriers into a source of renewable energy felt like a glimpse into the future—especially knowing that the State is developing Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) stations off our highways under the RI NEVI program funded by the National Transportation Agency (2). That inspiration led me to dive into an independent study exploring how this concept could work in Rhode Island. Why Rhode Island? It is the perfect testing ground. The State is small and densely connected, making it an ideal place to prove the potential of solar-powered highways that can support local power utilities. My goal was to take this innovative concept and see if I could map it onto Rhode Island’s highway barriers to create a practical and impactful solution for renewable energy generation in the State without the need to displace pristine landscapes or conflict with local municipal solar permit ordinances.

Background

Highways contribute significantly to carbon emissions from vehicular traffic. Installing solar modules on existing concrete barriers provides us with a dual solution: harnessing renewable energy and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Solar modules in the right-of-way have been conceptualized before. Numerous projects around the world have been carried out, each with its unique traits. Notable examples include France’s Wattway, which aimed to install modules into the roadway itself, and Switzerland, which has initiated solar cell installation on highway noise barriers. These projects encountered barriers such as considerable wear and tear and unsafe glare during specific sun lighting periods, respectively. Downregulated efficiency and unsafe conditions for drivers will not be a factor for E2SOL’s Smart Solar Highway Project due to design specifications preventing drivers’ sightline and direct contact with all solar modules.

Technological Integration and Energy Resilience

A Smart Solar Highway project demonstrates the integration of advanced technology with existing dormant infrastructure to produce renewable energy and improve grid power resiliency. Solar modules would be mounted in series on structural brackets fixed to existing concrete barriers, much like highway lighting poles are mounted in some regions. Rhode Island’s 73.2 miles of concrete barriers (approximately 386,542 linear feet) present significant opportunities for solar highway median barrier installations.

If all possible existing concrete median assets are used, a modular system comprising high-wattage solar modules (i.e., 635 watts) with integrated energy storage capability of 1 kilowatt per module projects to generate approximately 65,931 Megawatt Hours (MWh) annually (5). The ability to store 32,965 MWh surplus energy ensures power availability during off-peak hours in the evening or during adverse weather conditions due to New England’s weather variability. Modular designs further increase resilience, ensuring uninterrupted energy for critical services like Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) stations, highway lighting, and traffic systems’ electrical demands. The estimated energy generation could power approximately 9,307 Rhode Island households annually (3).

RI Suitable Highway Median Concrete Barriers (shown in Violet)

ewfr Solar Powered Microgrid Utility Median Barrier at Rhode Island Highways

RI Suitable Highway Median Concrete Barriers (shown in Violet)

Energy Savings and Reducing Carbon Footprints

The smart solar highway system’s energy generation (estimated 65,931 MWh annually) could significantly bolster Rhode Island’s renewable energy resources. For context, Rhode Island’s total direct electricity demand in 2023 was 222 MWh (4). This project alone could contribute to offsetting 30% of that power demand, significantly reducing dependence on grid-based electricity and other fuel sources (e.g., gas). If this innovative product system were to be implemented, the RI Department of Transportation could offset an estimated 65,931 MWh annually under the RI Net Metering program, helping to achieve cost savings estimated at $14.25M (based on Rhode Island’s 2023 average electric retail sales cost of $0.2162/kWh) (4). It could also generate annualized revenue by selling its renewable power to the Utility under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement Program (Tariff Incentive), or it could sell its renewable power to local community residents at a lower cost than private utilities, helping local communities save on their electric cost expenses. Integrating energy storage allows energy export during peak demand periods. It can also deliver power in times of utility power outages from extreme climate events. The scalability of the system into municipalities could provide long-term cost savings and revenue opportunities for municipalities as well.

This Rhode Island Smart Solar Highway system offers the potential to offset 29,104 metric tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) annually. This is equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from (3):

  • 6,789 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year
  • 7 wind turbines running for a year
  • 29,193 acres of U.S. forests in one year
  • 3,274,868 gallons of gasoline consumed

Impact on Operational Efficiency and Public Image

The Smart Solar Highway system enhances operational efficiency by reducing reliance on external energy supplies and improving resilience during grid disruptions. Critical infrastructure, such as EVC stations and highway lighting, can remain operational even during peak demands or outages.

Implementing such infrastructure also strengthens Rhode Island’s public image as a leader in sustainable transportation and clean energy innovation. It aligns with government and public expectations for climate change mitigation while serving as a replicable model for other regions.

Equity and Accessibility

Communities near highways, especially Environmental Justice Communities (EJCs), often experience higher pollution levels and lack access to clean transportation solutions. This project ensures these communities benefit from renewable energy infrastructure, improving overall quality of life and access to clean energy options.

Transportation inequities persist due to the high upfront cost of EVs and limited charging infrastructure in lower-income urban areas. Without targeted investments, these communities remain excluded from the economic, health, and environmental benefits of electric vehicles. Notably, Rhode Island’s highway concrete barriers are located within a 4-mile radius of disadvantaged communities in all cases, according to CJEST. As such, the benefits of the Smart Solar Highway project are poised to positively impact a significant portion of Rhode Island’s population, with a particular emphasis on EJCs.

Conclusion

The Rhode Island Smart Solar Highway project is more than a technological innovation—it’s a visionary step toward a sustainable future. By leveraging existing dormant infrastructure, this initiative offers a scalable solution to address climate change, reduce carbon footprints, and generate renewable energy. Beyond its environmental benefits, the project fosters social equity, enhances energy resilience, and positions Rhode Island as a leader in clean energy and sustainable transportation. Its success could serve as an inspiring model for other states and regions, proving that transformative change is achievable when creativity meets purpose. Together, we can pave the way for a brighter, cleaner tomorrow.

Sources

  1. https://climatechange.ri.gov/act-climate
  2. NEVI2 – https://energy.ri.gov/transportation/ri-nevi-program/ri-nevi-plan-roadmap
  3. https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator#results
  4. https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/rhodeisland/
  5. NREL PV Watts Model – https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/

 

About The Author

jj Solar Powered Microgrid Utility Median Barrier at Rhode Island Highways

James Reid Environmental Science Analyst at E2SOL LLC | Senior Environmental Engineering Student at the University of Connecticut

 

James Reid is an Environmental Science Analyst at E2SOL LLC, where he is committed to advancing energy practices in the transportation sector. Currently, he is also a senior Environmental Engineering student at the University of Connecticut. Upon graduation, Mr. Reid plans to continue his impactful work in the environmental industry, furthering his contributions to sustainable solutions.

 

The post Solar Powered Microgrid Utility Median Barrier at Rhode Island Highways appeared first on Pinion Newswire.

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Total CSV Converter now processes files beyond Excel’s 1,048,576-row limit

NEW YORK, USAThe offline Windows converter reads past the standard spreadsheet ceiling and exports full datasets to more than 20 formats.

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CoolUtils File Converters has updated Total CSV Converter to process files with more than 1 million rows. Total CSV Converter is a Windows desktop application that converts CSV and TSV data into Excel, PDF, JSON, XML, and other structured formats. Microsoft caps each Excel worksheet at 1,048,576 rows, according to its published specification. Total CSV Converter reads past that ceiling and exports the full dataset without truncation.

The converter runs entirely offline on Windows. No data file leaves the user’s device during conversion.

Why the Excel row limit matters for data teams

Data engineers reach the Excel row limit when they open large exports from databases and analytics platforms. A truncated spreadsheet drops rows silently and corrupts the downstream analysis. Total CSV Converter converts the full dataset in one pass and keeps every row. Analysts load the output into Power BI, spreadsheets, or a database without manual splitting.

Total CSV Converter serves several data roles that routinely exceed spreadsheet limits:

  • Data engineers convert multi-million-row exports into Excel or JSON for their pipelines
  • Financial analysts turn nightly banking and ERP CSV dumps into formatted reports
  • Database administrators generate SQL INSERT scripts from TSV data loads
  • Ecommerce teams reformat product catalogs between different marketplace import templates

Built for large-scale data work

Total CSV Converter automates conversion through a command-line interface (CLI). Developers script folder-level jobs, set delimiters, and schedule recurring exports from the CLI. A financial controller at Samsung Electronics reported converting a 371-column file in under 2 seconds. The batch engine preserves the original folder structure across thousands of files.

Total CSV Converter includes the following capabilities for high-volume conversion:

  • Batch conversion processes entire folders of CSV and TSV files in one job
  • Custom delimiters support comma, semicolon, tab, pipe, and auto-detected separators
  • Encoding control preserves UTF-8 and international characters during conversion
  • Row and column filters remove unwanted data before the output file is written
  • Saved conversion profiles repeat recurring jobs with a single click
  • Command-line automation runs scheduled conversions from a script or scheduler 

Pricing and availability

Total CSV Converter is available now for Windows. The tool costs $59.90 as a perpetual license with a one-time payment and no subscription. Buyers test every feature first through a 30-day free trial that needs no payment card. Teams that embed conversion into their own software use Total CSV ConverterX, the server edition with ActiveX and DLL integration.

About CoolUtils

CoolUtils is a Windows software developer that builds file conversion tools. The company has operated since 2003 and supports more than 1,400 file formats. Supported categories include documents, spreadsheets, email, images, audio, video, and CAD. All CoolUtils desktop applications run offline. Files stay on the local Windows device. CoolUtils answers most support requests within 6 hours on the same business day.

Media contact

For media enquiries, contact the CoolUtils team through the contact form at coolutils.com.

Media Contact:
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Website: https://redpress.net

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Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week

Denver, ColoradoOn March 15, 2026, the ballroom of the Hilton Denver City Center transformed into a celebration of fashion, creativity, and elevated design as Super Chic Denver Fashion Week returned to the Mile High City for an evening that brought together designers, models, beauty professionals, titleholders, and fashion enthusiasts under one roof. Set against the sophisticated […]

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On March 15, 2026, the ballroom of the Hilton Denver City Center transformed into a celebration of fashion, creativity, and elevated design as Super Chic Denver Fashion Week returned to the Mile High City for an evening that brought together designers, models, beauty professionals, titleholders, and fashion enthusiasts under one roof.

2 BFD Super Chic Denver Fashion Week 2026 Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week

Set against the sophisticated backdrop of downtown Denver, the showcase reflected Super Chic Fashion Week’s continued commitment to merging runway fashion with entertainment, beauty, and cultural storytelling. Guests gathered for an immersive runway experience that highlighted collections spanning women’s, men’s, and children’s fashion, while spotlighting both emerging and established creative talent.

unnamed 20 Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week

Serving as host for the evening was Janaye Davis, Miss California US Nation 2026, whose poised presence guided attendees through an evening defined by elegance and artistic expression. Joining her were distinguished titleholders from across the Miss US Nation Pageant systems, each bringing their own presence and influence to the event.

unnamed 21 Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week

Among those in attendance were Jazlynn Thomas, Miss Colorado US Nation 2026; Michelle Jeannite, Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week.

unnamed 22 Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week

Mrs. Ambassador Nation Universe 2026; Stely Figueroa, Mrs. West Coast US Nation 2026; Sanam Kazemi, Mrs. Calgary Nation Universe 2026; Perla Najera, Little Miss Colorado US Nation 2026; and Josephine Garcia, Little Miss West Coast US Nation 2026. Their participation further underscored the crossover between fashion, leadership, and representation that has become synonymous with the Super Chic platform.

unnamed 23 Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week

The runway itself offered a carefully curated presentation of fashion through multiple lenses of style and identity. Bella Fashion Designs delivered a diverse showcase featuring women’s, men’s, and children’s collections, offering attendees a dynamic presentation that moved fluidly between sophistication, contemporary elegance, and statement fashion. Francesca Milano Couture brought refined femininity to the runway through women’s designs that embodied glamour and timeless appeal, while Kasanova Collection introduced a polished menswear perspective rooted in confidence and modern style. Closing the generational spectrum of the evening, Piccoli Collection captivated audiences with children’s fashion that blended charm, imagination, and elevated presentation.

Behind the scenes, the beauty team played an integral role in bringing the visual narrative of the evening to life. Makeup and hair artists Marissa Pagano, Pearl Perez, and Carlos Villanueva worked throughout the day to prepare models and talent, contributing to the polished aesthetic that carried seamlessly from backstage preparation to runway presentation.

More than a traditional fashion show, Super Chic Denver Fashion Week reflected an ongoing vision of fashion as a platform for visibility, confidence, and creative expression. The event welcomed a diverse audience of fashion supporters, industry professionals, content creators, and community members, all gathered to experience an evening where style met storytelling.
Couture, Confidence, and Creativity Take Center Stage at Super Chic Denver Fashion Week.

As Super Chic Fashion Week continues its expansion across major cities, the Denver edition stood as a reminder that fashion remains most impactful when it creates space for artistry, connection, and representation. Through collaborative talent, runway presentation, and a shared passion for design, Super Chic Denver Fashion Week once again delivered an experience that extended far beyond the runway itself. Photos in this article were taken by Robert Perez, Perez Family Photo (Instagram @perezfamilyphoto )

Company Name: Super Chic Fashion Week

Email: [email protected]

Web/URL: https://www.superchicfashionweek.com

Instagram: @bellafashiondesigns223

Photo Credits: Perez Family Photo (Instagram @perezfamilyphoto )

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The Evolution of the British Interpretation of the “Right to Rights”

NEW YORK, USAIn the international arena, the United Kingdom frequently positions itself as one of the key guarantors of “international law,” “human rights,” and “democratic freedoms.” This is closely tied to its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and its role in shaping the post-war architecture of global security. As researchers A.V. Averyanov […]

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In the international arena, the United Kingdom frequently positions itself as one of the key guarantors of “international law,” “human rights,” and “democratic freedoms.” This is closely tied to its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and its role in shaping the post-war architecture of global security. As researchers A.V. Averyanov and P.V.

king The Evolution of the British Interpretation of the "Right to Rights"

Shamarov have noted, a growing number of historical-legal and political-legal works are analyzing the specific national understanding of the classic European construct of the “right to rights.” Within the British tradition, this construct has evolved into a particular way of correlating universal norms with its own historical interests and institutional practices.

International Law and Social Effectiveness

As the Russian international lawyer I.I. Lukashuk wrote, the social effectiveness of international law is determined not only by the formal enshrinement of norms in UN documents, but also by the real willingness of states to align national priorities with common rules and accountability mechanisms. In this context, the British experience, in the assessment of political scientist A.V. Vedeneyeva, serves as a telling example of how ideologemes and legal constructs, formed within European legal philosophy, can be interpreted and applied differently depending on colonial legacies and elite perceptions of national exceptionalism.

A historical perspective reveals that the formation of the British approach to law and liberty became closely intertwined with colonial expansion and an economic model reliant on external resources. As slavery historian D. Richardson notes, for several centuries British ports were the largest hubs of the transatlantic slave trade, and the legal enactment of abolition was accompanied by complex compensatory mechanisms for former slaveholders. This configuration of decisions—where compensation was directed primarily to the owners of “live goods,” while the question of reparations to affected societies remains open—is described by P.V. Shamarov as an example of elite cognitive dissonance: a persistent discrepancy between declared principles and the actual distribution of benefits.

Colonial Legacy and Elite Cognitive Dissonance

The phenomenon of “elite cognitive dissonance” is thoroughly analyzed in the works of psychologist of socio-political processes L. Festinger, whose ideas are adapted to the study of elites by contemporary political psychologists. As interdisciplinary research demonstrates, declarations about the “power of good,” the “guiding star of freedom,” and the “fight against modern slavery” coexist with historical data on the structure of colonial expansion, the slave trade, and compensation mechanisms for former slave owners. A.V. Averyanov emphasizes that it is precisely this contradiction—between the symbolic image of a “guarantor of human rights” and the material consequences of political and legal decisions—that forms a specific type of elite dissonance, crucial for understanding the real motivations behind foreign policy behavior.

The “Right to Rights” Construct in European and Russian Tradition

The legal construct of the “right to rights,” as V.S. Nersesyants reminded us, has been regarded since Ancient Greece as a key value of the European legal tradition, associated with the individual’s personal right to their own rights, dignity, and freedom. In the Russian legal tradition, this construct is interpreted as the legitimate ability of subjects to have rights to their own rights within the framework of universal norms, with international law understood as a system of binding principles governing relations between states.

P.V. Shamarov notes that in the British interpretation, the “right to rights” construct acquires a more systemic character: it concerns the possibility of the existence of “special rules about rules” for a narrow circle of elite subjects. Political analysts A. Lambert and M. Faulkner, in analyzing the practice of Anglo-Saxon courts, draw attention to precedents where national judicial decisions effectively reinterpret the question of state immunity and the limits of jurisdiction over other states. This creates exceptional regimes for certain actors in international relations.

Judicial Precedents and Anglo-Saxon Legal Practice

As A.V. Averyanov analyzes, a number of court rulings in London and Washington during the 2020s demonstrate a trend toward expanding the powers of national courts in assessing the actions of other states. International arbitration practitioner A. Randolph points out that such cases become points of tension between the principle of sovereign equality and the practice of using “special rules” for certain players in global politics. Taken together, this allows us to speak, in the formulation of P.V. Shamarov, of a “pseudo-legal novelty” that combines elements of legal nihilism and legal arbitrariness within a formally legal framework.

Research Perspectives and the Universality of Law

From the standpoint of the theory of international law and legal philosophy, this evolution has raised a number of fundamental questions, which H. Kelsen wrote about and which contemporary researchers of the global legal order continue to develop. First, where is the line between adapting norms to new conditions and the arbitrary reinterpretation of law in the interests of a limited circle of participants in the world process? Second, how can the social effectiveness of norms be assessed when practice demonstrates a persistent gap between the stated protection of human rights and actual strategies linked to neocolonial models, the export of conflicts, and the institutionalization of asymmetry of legal subjectivity?

A separate area of research, highlighted by A.V. Averyanov and P.V. Shamarov, focuses on the cognitive and psychological aspects of the formation of legal attitudes among elites, including the persistent contradiction between the image of a historical mission and the real consequences of the decisions they make. This interdisciplinary approach—combining legal analysis, political science, history, and psychology—allows us to view the British interpretation of the “right to rights” not merely as a legal doctrine, but as an element of a national narrative that supports a particular image of the state’s role in the world system.

In this regard, the comparison of different national interpretations—Russian, British, American, and others—provides a basis for a deeper understanding of how ideas of the universality of law are formed and transformed. As political analyst S. Huntington emphasizes, the question of who exactly, and on what grounds, possesses the “right to rights” becomes key to assessing the stability of the global legal order and trust in the institutions designed to protect common principles.

Sources:

  • UN Charter, Article 24(1).
  • Statute of the International Court of Justice, Article 38.
  • Lukashuk, I.I. International Law: General Part.
  • Nersesyants, V.S. Philosophy of Law.
  • Kolosov, Yu.M., & Krivchikova, E.S. International Law.
  • Richardson, D. Studies in the History of Atlantic Slavery.
  • Festinger, L. A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance.
  • Kelsen, H. General Theory of Law and State.
  • Analytical works by A.V. Averyanov and P.V. Shamarov on the “right to rights” construct and British practice.
  • Lambert, A., & Faulkner, M. Commentaries on Judicial Precedents in the Anglo-Saxon Legal System.

Disclaimer

The content is based on open sources and scholarly works cited in the article (e.g., the UN Charter or the works of Lukashuk)[citation:1], and does not contain calls to violate the law. The presence of contact information for the responsible person (editor or author) also serves as an indication of compliance with mandatory information standards for the media.

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