Solar Highways-Interesting Idea

[TexasSP]

Was sent this link in an email. I like the idea, would be very dependent on cost, safet, reliability. Good forward thinking though if looked at as a 50-100 year project and not an overnight solution.

[_paralyzed_]

interesting. i don't think they have yet thought about extreme climates like in MN. they would never survive the expansion and contraction. and then the road salt. there are a lot of bugs to work out for sure.

If solar panels prices would come down to where they can be cost effective there are rooftops/yards/sidewalks etc. etc. that could be utilized to place them on instead of something high stress like a roadway. Fail in my opinion.

And my pappy puts in about 2500 hours of work in 9 months (average person works 2000 hrs a year) making asphalt. They are blowing smoke out of their ass when they start the video saying they have quotes of asphalt at $1000/ton.
It didn't get over $250/ton in MN.

[E-Revonut]

Unless the panel could also generate it's own heat to keep snow off of it this would never work in the northern climates. As paralyzed mentioned the road salt would be an issue but what about a plow scraping it's steel blade across it.

It's an interesting concept but one I think is pointless. Also as already pointed out rooftops, would be a far better application for solar panels, it's already being done but the cost is still to great to be used 99% of the time.

[TexasSP]

I don't think it's totally useless and could be used effectively in certain situations.

Think of large large parking lots especially at major events. These could be used very effectively for creating the energy and moving traffic.

The end result may not be exactly what is seen here but I think a lot of the ideas and technology could be used in the future.

[BrianG]

I think it would be simpler/cheaper to just improve the output and efficiency of current solar technology and overlay it all over a vehicle's exterior panels...

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by bigsteel

I don't see that working,to many easily accessible roofs to utilize before putting solar panels on roads. Im trying to convince my mom to have some installed before I enlist. They pay for themselves in about 3 years,so I see no reason why people haven't done it already,and I'm by far no tree hugger but why WOULDN'T you want to end you electric bill? And it's not like the stuff isn't getting cheaper every day,there's already solar PAINT and solar chips that are printed and cost very little,so well just have to see what happens after gas hits 20$ a gallon and the energy crisis REALLY heats up.

Everything I have read says that it takes about 17yrs for solar panels to pay for themselves. Unless you are factoring in some sort of stimulus that is not avaialbe in my area. Plus there is going to be maintanence on these panels, what will that cost?

Originally Posted by BrianG

I think it would be simpler/cheaper to just improve the output and efficiency of current solar technology and overlay it all over a vehicle's exterior panels...

Trying to make my life more difficult Brian? It is already hard enough to fix banged up cars... Having my dumb employes electrocuting themsleves would put me over the edge!!!


Nothing against solar, but battery tech is not good enough yet. Cost of mfg and disposal of batteries is too high, and the cycle life is way too low. Enviormental impact of disposal is great, and perfoemance is still very poor. Solar does not work at night either, so the equipment is not working close to half of the time. It takes up alot of space and requires inverters and battery managment systems to function, adding to the repair complexity.

Nuclear is the way to go, pity big oil put a stop to that. You could have a small reactor in each town and not have to worry about tranmission losses and enviormental impact. New areas could get rid of overhead wires (what a dumb idea) at the same time and make the place look better.

I don't see that working,to many easily accessible roofs to utilize before putting solar panels on roads. Im trying to convince my mom to have some installed before I enlist. They pay for themselves in about 3 years,so I see no reason why people haven't done it already,and I'm by far no tree hugger but why WOULDN'T you want to end you electric bill? And it's not like the stuff isn't getting cheaper every day,there's already solar PAINT and solar chips that are printed and cost very little,so well just have to see what happens after gas hits 20$ a gallon and the energy crisis REALLY heats up.

[brainanator]

I really like it. As a civil engineering major about to graduate I can say that this is really interesting and something to keep an eye on. It will be tough to integrate, but soon, something with HAVE to be integrated. Changes are coming, and they will all be very expensive.

[_paralyzed_]

roads need major maintenance. It's just ridiculous to put our power source on such a high stress high maintenance surface.

Use roofs. But that would put the power in the citizens hands and that's not what the machine wants.

[TexasSP]

I believe that you have to think outside their particular idea to see the possibilities of this technology. I can't see the entire road being solar but I can see some benefits this technology could provide. Sometimes streets could be one way, sometimes two way, sometimes 3 lanes in one direction and one in the other. If the technology was also integrated into cars where they could read the signals this could assist the driver as well.

Think about getting rid of painted pavement lines and integrating this solar powered LED systems into existing asphalt and concrete roads. You could literally change traffic flow for given needs and different times by changing the the lights around.

I don't care about their asphalt claims etcetera, I just like some of the ideas in the technology. Most of the time inventors can't see past their own arrogance to realize the real potential of their inventions anyway. I have run into this when prototyping machines and having the original inventor fight me every step of the way when I tried to improve it.

I want nuclear too though. I think wind farms are a waste of resources and land. I just believe we are going to have to look at integrating all different types of technology to supply our energy needs. I don't think it will come from one source. I am also not interested in an electric car until at least a 3-400 mile range can be had and they get past nimh batteries.

Here's a chart I used for a company here in Ohio for the actual cost over 5 years. Not too bad at all after factoring everything in. As for maintenance they are relatively simple. Keep them clean and wiring is just as easy to maintain as any other exterior high voltage lines. But as you said,battery tech REALLY needs to improve before it can be utilized fully. If I was to do it at my home I'd get enough panels to power my home and power an electrolysis tank to make hydrogen to power a generator at night and hopefully in the future,my car.

Forgot the link LOL;
here's the chart: http://www.dovetailsolar.com/getatta...et-8-13-10.pdf

Here's the website,the windmills look really tempting too,with both supplementing each other youd never even need to draw power from the grid again.
http://www.dovetailsolar.com/default.aspx