Solar Roadways Remain Expensive

[Richard Burton]

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOZBrHqTJk4

There is a list of further sources in the description of the video

 

Someone has built a 70m long * 1.7m wide solar cycleway in Amsterdam for the sole purpose of reasearch and development. It cost $3 million.

Dave the electrical engineer (EEVblog) debunks, yet again solar roadways.

 

His main points are:

* On roads and cycleways solar panels are mounted flat and are far less efficient than if mounted facing the sun

* The protective glass on the cycleway must be much thicker than if it were roof mounted, blocking out more of the sun, plus the glass is textured not smooth

* The cost of making solar panels suitable for pathways is far higher (thicker glass, it has to be load bearing), plus they will need to be maintained unlike rooftop installations

* Paths get dirty and will have to be cleaned regularly or the already poor efficiency will suffer

 

Basically solar cycleways have a Cost to Energy ratio that it 1/8 of a rooftop installation and the payback time is (in best case scenario) over 40 years vs. just over 5 years for rooftop installations. Also solar panels lose about 1/2 their efficiency over a 20 year period. The takeaway is it is far more efficient just to mount the damn things on poles or roofs facing the sun.

[KieranFretwell]

Thanks for clearing that up.. 

[XTankSlayerX]

Why do you think we don't have these everywhere by now man?

[mr moose]

But facts are irrelevant when it comes to companies making a ton off environmental research and protection.

[AlwaysFSX]

We're talking about this why...?

[Johannes_Lazor]

It doesnt matter, If people want to support somthing that wont work, Let them do it.
It is not your money.

It is a fraud But if they believe it will work let them fail at it so they atleast understand it wont work.

There is No reason to bring it up.

[Manny Calavera]

So? They are capitalizing on people being stupid. Just like religion. 

People will believe what they want to, but when you have to turn on brain they go full retard.

 

 

[LukeTim]

I don't know that this is news... Shouldn't this be somewhere else? 

Also, why should I care?

[Kameegaming]

I don't know that this is news... Shouldn't this be somewhere else? 

Also, why should I care?

Because the concept is a nice idea, but it's not feasible and it would be nice to make it work, probably not gonna happen though

[Bsmith]

i see it as a proper investment, this way they can try it out in reallife and get real data instead of numbers wich come form assumptions and guesses, wich can be diffrent in reallife even when using the best number possible, like all science, the theory offers a image, but the practive beats all(quantum physics not included)

 

I admit it probarlly isn't profitable in the short term, neither where airplanes, nor some by products form oil refinery(car gas or certain plastics), nor atomic splitting(fission, is the right term?) and look a it now? the first three are a few of the most important things in the world at the moment.

 

these numbers are right and correct for now, but not knowing what they got up on their sleeve in the capital of this shithole(goverment wise) we are actually unable to draw proper numbers.

[Trik'Stari]

...... Why not just do roof mounted ones and put a roof over the roadways? Would help with the rain and shit...

[techswede]

yes

did not even have to read it

called it a looooong time ago

 

bye bye 

[totjup5]

Thanks for the update Sherlock

[Lazmarr]

Hmmmm.....I'm sure I read this on here aaaages ago.....

Soon we will have fusion reactors powering our major cities

[Yoinkerman]

Because other methods are better atm doesn't mean we should stop trying.

[bcredeur97]

dont forget grip too! glass is a lot more slippery than asphalt. could cause accidents, and what if we have freezing rain? ice + asphalt is bad enough. ice + glass is even worse. will take longer to regain grip after it has been lost.

[BloodySinner]

Why do you think we don't have these everywhere by now man?

 

First reason being the cost of installation.

[Nademagnet]

I see Piezoelectric or thermal being more practical than photovoltaic for road surfaces personnally.