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>> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways#home <<
READ first..then watch below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNMFKKyFU60
I am very interested. Not sure why Obama admin are loaning and granting billions of dollars to 'green' scammers, but innovators like this have to beg for funding.
that's awesome
I like the vision. Building and upkeep of the foundation for the panels may be costly.
Remember Solyndra? That was a good one...nope.Quote:
Originally Posted by ChunkyMonkey
Sent via Mobile Work Avoidance Device
Build the first mile of public road as a test bed. See what works and what doesn't. Make improvements and go from there. Why haven't the cities of Boulder or Berkley done this yet?
I would need to see the long term cost of manufacturing, installing, upkeep, etc... before I would spend a penny on it. It may make sense in highly populated areas, but probably not so much in the middle of Kansas or Montana.
I'd have them redo the apron in front of the shop.Quote:
Originally Posted by cstone
Looks pretty legit. It will be neat to watch this develop.
Having (sadly) lived in both Boulder AND Bezerkley, I can say that both are fond of the theoretical but hopeless at the practical. Plenty of Nobel Prize winners in both....plenty of potholes in the streets of both.Quote:
Originally Posted by cstone
Another one that knows it as Bezerkley. [rockon] Think I first heard it in 75 or so. And I will agree that it needs a test. Interesting idea. Tie it in with RF and no more cell towers. The amount of infrastructure would be immense for this.Quote:
Originally Posted by hatidua
Just like any other "green" technology. How much Fossil fuels does it consume to get the benefit of the power from the solar cells.
I just love how electric car companies and other green technology is advertised as "clean energy" when you plug it into an outlet that gets power from a fossil fuel power plant. Or it burns more fuel to produce than it saves in a clean energy trade-off.
I typically agree, but coal fueled power plants have a much better use of the energy than cars. The energy efficiency in cars is very poor, <10% of the energy created by combustion is used to power the vehicle. The rest just goes as heat and exhaust. Power plants are ~35%, IIRC.Quote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
Internal Combustion Engines are closer to 20% efficiency. I believe incandescent light bulbs are 10% light and 90% heat.
Even with the texturing, a glass roadway has the opportunity to be very slick. This is a fun theory, but the devil is in the details.
Ah, okay. According to this Wikipedia page, Coal and oil are about 33%, and combined cycle plants(they use the heat generated twice to turn generators) are 56-60%Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
I've been watching this technology for a few years:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/v...1/62903925001/
I'm not really interested in the panels sitting on top of my traditional shingles, however, if the singles themselves were solar, AND it was cost effective, I would consider doing it. The tax breaks are a scam IMO, like the cash for clunkers program. Someone, meaning other taxpayers are picking up the tab for those tax breaks.
Ultimately, if solar, wind, etc... are going to make it, they need to stand against other energy sources, hydro, fossil, nuclear, before I will consider adopting them. I am certain that when fossil fuels become more expensive, other energy sources will take their place in the market. I am not a fan of having governments picking winners when it comes to the market competition.
If solar roadways are a solution, there are plenty of people, businesses, and governments that will be beating down doors to adopt them. I just hope those governments don't force the taxpayers to adopt over priced solutions to problems that don't actually exist.
Or until some driver doesn't set their plow correctly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
Funny, all this technical info yet all I could think was "Just great. Now there's going to be ads in the roads themselves. No one can escape the bombardment of ads we get."
The video showed that the panels are heated thus eliminating the need to be plowed..Quote:
Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo
Think they'll effect tire wear?
these things will be great.
just think, they can mandate all cars have an imbedded chip which will be picked up by sensors in the road every...say 100 yards. then they can track you everywhere. they can know everything you do, everytime you do it. cool. plus they can tax you for driving more/ or less (like they do with watering). this will be great, they can shut down your car with the new technology they will incorporate into the system. going to church, synagogue, conservative meetings, gun stores? we will know all about it. sounds great.
no thanks.
and if you think it cant or wont happen you must be living in a dream world.
If you think it WILL happen then you must be living in a world that I wouldn't want any part of. Life is quite a bit happier when you aren't afraid of things that potentially, maybe, possibly could happen at some point in the next 100 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by HBARleatherneck
OT though, this is a brilliant idea. I agree, have a couple of cities do some test runs on it. Have them bid for it like cities did for that super fast Google internet (whatever the hell it's called). Don't subsidize it with tax dollars, crowdfund it (like they are doing) and see where it takes us. This is the kind of thing that is going to keep the US afloat, we need more people with ideas like this. Regardless of whether or not it actually works, it means that people are thinking. And thinking is what we need the people of this nation to do.
critical thinking like this keeps me from being quoted by reporters.
I like the "idea" of solar.
I think that a road is too much for it though. Roof tops.. fine.
the ground under roads constantly moves, expands, contracts, shifts, is washed away etc. Real world testing would probably show these wont work. How do pot holes affect it? if one piece goes bad how much does it affect the other pieces?
Ouch...I don't know if I have enough burn ointment for that one. [fail] I would imagine living in BFE Colorado is what keeps you from speaking to people. Nice try though.Quote:
Originally Posted by HBARleatherneck