Solar Inches Forward.

The article reports that engineers at Traffic.com Inc. had devised a way to save fuel by monitoring traffic flows with sensors stationed along roadsides. The company opted for solar panels, which can provide the 5W requirements during the day and charge batteries that last through the night. Traffic.com has installed more than 3,000 solar-powered traffic sensors, with another 10,000 or so scheduled. That underscores the success of solar power, which has been growing at double-digit rates for the past few years. The company's finely-focused application also points up solar's struggle to become a viable competitor in the power arena. INSET: Wind Energy Catches Updraft.