Video: Solar Freakin Roadways promo video

[Phoenix86]

Thread summary: interesting, cool, but completely unfeasible.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Random thought: wouldn't the roads be super bumpy with all those dimples/bumps in the glass? I wouldn't want to drive on that for miles on end.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Random thought: wouldn't the roads be super bumpy with all those dimples/bumps in the glass? I wouldn't want to drive on that for miles on end.

Probably would not be too bad but definitely a different drive. Though if you replace all the pot holes of current asphalt roads with those uniform bumps it would actually be a better drive, just a bit louder but no BANGs and other random impact sounds from when the bottom of the car hits the ground.

Really the hexagonal tiles themselves is a good idea. Downtown here it's all interlocking stones, they're probably as old as the city, and downtown is the best roads we have.

Here's an idea, instead of solar they should use induction, it would charge electric cars, but the movement of the cars passing over the magnets would also charge the tiles. Unlimited power! :biggrin:

 

[WelshBloke]

Looks like it wasn't such a great idea!

https://theconversation.com/solar-panels-replaced-tarmac-on-a-road-here-are-the-results-103568

 

[Red Squirrel]

Hahaha it's sad to think the time and effort that went into this, and in some cases even government funding. Total face palm from the get go. There's so much crap ideas like that whose sole purpose is to excite investors, but they arn't practical from an engineering point of view.

Standard solar panels on roofs or dedicated mounts is still the best way to go.

 

[OutHouse]

Looks like it wasn't such a great idea!

https://theconversation.com/solar-panels-replaced-tarmac-on-a-road-here-are-the-results-103568

great idea, but not practical at all. the data talks.

 

[Thebobo]

Looks like it wasn't such a great idea!

https://theconversation.com/solar-panels-replaced-tarmac-on-a-road-here-are-the-results-103568

For now but as prices drop and other go up things can and will change.

 

[BUTCH1]

For now but as prices drop and other go up things can and will change.

Even if prices drop the glass thickness needeed for an interstate would be so thick it's a huge loss. Then the cost of ripping up existing surface's for installation is also crazy expensive. No way you can generate enough power to pay for that.

 

[realibrad]

For now but as prices drop and other go up things can and will change.

Roadways is the problem. If the price goes down and efficiency goes up, then roadways and walkways will still be a bad idea. you would be far better off putting them on top of roofs where you can angel them for efficiency while allowing for cooling.

The issue is not with solar. The issue is not with electronic roads. Its simple physics.

Building a network of panels and storage would do wonders for the planet. Putting these very expensive panels in places where their efficiency drops to 4% from 14% is dumb.

 

[Thebobo]

Even if prices drop the glass thickness needeed for an interstate would be so thick it's a huge loss. Then the cost of ripping up existing surface's for installation is also crazy expensive. No way you can generate enough power to pay for that.

Your speculating, I just said its possible but you say no way, you have no more proof then I do other then shit happens.

 

[Thebobo]

Roadways is the problem. If the price goes down and efficiency goes up, then roadways and walkways will still be a bad idea. you would be far better off putting them on top of roofs where you can angel them for efficiency while allowing for cooling.

The issue is not with solar. The issue is not with electronic roads. Its simple physics.

Building a network of panels and storage would do wonders for the planet. Putting these very expensive panels in places where their efficiency drops to 4% from 14% is dumb.

I said for now but not be repetitive, shit happens.

 

[realibrad]

I said for now but not be repetitive, shit happens.

Shit will not happen. Nothing can happen. If efficiency goes up, still better to put it somewhere else. Cost goes down, still bad to put it on the ground.

This is why I brought up physics.

 

[Red Squirrel]

If they really want to do solar roads the best bet would be to put roofs OVER the roads. This would also keep snow off the road and reduce need to plow. Snow would still get on the roads but not as much of it. Of course you need to deal with taking snow off the panels and having that snow end up somewhere safe like the side of the road and not on pedestrians.

Dedicated solar installations are always going to be better. The real solution is not trying to stick them in weird places, but to force cities to allow people to place them anywhere on their yard. For example I was thinking of building a shelter for my car and putting solar panels on it, but my city is super stingy when it comes to anything construction related, as are most cities, so something like that would never be allowed, or require permits ($$$$$$$ + tax increase). So if you want to see solar panels everywhere best bet is to solve it at the legislation level. Make it a human right to build any kind of structure that is used for energy generations, and make it so cities can't tell you that you need a permit, or to demolish something, as long as it's used for generating power. If every house puts even just a 100w solar module somewhere on their front lawn that would generate more power than solar road ways being installed on top of every road and cost way less.

New house construction should also be designed around solar. When designing the roof the inclination should be set so a large array can be setup facing south and be inclined enough that snow will fall off easily. I see lot of big houses with overly complicated roofs, had they went with a simpler design they could put like 5-10kw of solar panels easily.

 

[Thebobo]

Shit will not happen. Nothing can happen. If efficiency goes up, still better to put it somewhere else. Cost goes down, still bad to put it on the ground.

This is why I brought up physics.

You didn't bring physics up except the word physics and dodo does occur.

 

[paperfist]

I'd prefer to see the panels over the roadways. It would be a good use of space and driving in the shade would save A/C energy.

I never understood why they don’t turn the center barrier into solar. It may be small but there’s millions of miles of it.

 

[realibrad]

I never understood why they don’t turn the center barrier into solar. It may be small but there’s millions of miles of it.

A couple of things. First would be the dust, oil, soot, and other things that will get kicked up and coat the panels greatly reducing the efficiency.

Second is the damage the panels would endure. Rocks and other items will impact the panels. Accidents would also become even more expensive having to replace wires and panels.

Building over roads brings even more costs and other issues.

Tops of building is still a much better option.

 

[OutHouse]

If they really want to do solar roads the best bet would be to put roofs OVER the roads. This would also keep snow off the road and reduce need to plow. Snow would still get on the roads but not as much of it. Of course you need to deal with taking snow off the panels and having that snow end up somewhere safe like the side of the road and not on pedestrians.

Dedicated solar installations are always going to be better. The real solution is not trying to stick them in weird places, but to force cities to allow people to place them anywhere on their yard. For example I was thinking of building a shelter for my car and putting solar panels on it, but my city is super stingy when it comes to anything construction related, as are most cities, so something like that would never be allowed, or require permits ($$$$$$$ + tax increase). So if you want to see solar panels everywhere best bet is to solve it at the legislation level. Make it a human right to build any kind of structure that is used for energy generations, and make it so cities can't tell you that you need a permit, or to demolish something, as long as it's used for generating power. If every house puts even just a 100w solar module somewhere on their front lawn that would generate more power than solar road ways being installed on top of every road and cost way less.

New house construction should also be designed around solar. When designing the roof the inclination should be set so a large array can be setup facing south and be inclined enough that snow will fall off easily. I see lot of big houses with overly complicated roofs, had they went with a simpler design they could put like 5-10kw of solar panels easily.

enclose interstates? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA yea ok. you must be stoned as fuck to come up with a idea like that. thats even more impractical than solar roads. i couldnt even imagine how much it would cost to enclose I-80 between Cheyenne and Omaha

 

[OutHouse]

Second is the damage the panels would endure. Rocks and other items will impact the panels. Accidents would also become even more expensive having to replace wires and panels.

dont forget snowplows and sand/magchloride trucks. oh yea and thousands of 80K pound semis going over the same all day and night.

 

[Red Squirrel]

enclose interstates? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA yea ok. you must be stoned as fuck to come up with a idea like that. thats even more impractical than solar roads. i couldnt even imagine how much it would cost to enclose I-80 between Cheyenne and Omaha

Huh I never said interstates nor have I ever said it was a good idea, it's just a BETTER idea than what the solar roadway people were proposing.

 

[Red Squirrel]

dont forget snowplows and sand/magchloride trucks. oh yea and thousands of 80K pound semis going over the same all day and night.

Yep and ore trucks. If pavement gets washboard like because of truck traffic I can't imagine glass panels. They would start to bulge out from their footings with the frost heave too so they wouldo not stay nice and straight, then edges that are sticking out would get hit even harder by trucks etc. The whole idea is completely absurd. Solar panels need to be in places that won't literally be driven on.

 

[lxskllr]

Might work for a driveway if you have the right driveway. eg not mine :^D

 

[paperfist]

A couple of things. First would be the dust, oil, soot, and other things that will get kicked up and coat the panels greatly reducing the efficiency.

Second is the damage the panels would endure. Rocks and other items will impact the panels. Accidents would also become even more expensive having to replace wires and panels.

Building over roads brings even more costs and other issues.

Tops of building is still a much better option.

I meant just on top of the center barrier. Most are concrete or steel. Maybe not outside NY. There's also large tracts of land outside of either shoulder.

Good point about the oil & soot, I didn't think about that.

 

[realibrad]

I meant just on top of the center barrier. Most are concrete or steel. Maybe not outside NY. There's also large tracts of land outside of either shoulder.

Good point about the oil & soot, I didn't think about that.

Solar has to main drawbacks. First is cost which is dropping quite quickly.

The second is optimal conditions. Angle, hours of daylight, debris, temperature all play major roles in solar.

For now, there are better things to do such an building storage for of hours. We need huge amounts of energy during peak hours and then there is a huge drop off during non peak.

Solar will likely play a huge role in the future but right now we can do more efficient things.