Solar Roadways - Working prototype and pictures!

[chickensevil]

I am following the development of this concept with a good amount of sadness. Glass-tiled roadways appears to me to be close to the perfect example of a laboratory concept that - when the rubber meets the road, to use a wry metaphor - fails under the burdens of reality. ~snip

I was under the impression that they were attempting to address this by building them to be capable of withstanding 250,000 pounds... is this not what they were intending with building them up to address that? The only concern I would have is the question of the foundation strength. because I don't think it is so much the road itself that would break under pressure, but rather the underlying foundation. What you see on the surface of the road today isn't because of the asphalt breaking down, but rather the foundation failing which breaks the top. Especially in places where you see cracks in the road (I95... how I hate driving on thee).

What I don't know, is their 250,000 pound rating including the foundation or just the top pieces.

As far as the flexibility and elasticity wouldn't that be addressed given that it isn't one giant solid piece? This is like how on bridges they have flex points where the metal can expand and contract without breaking the bridge since there are parts of the bridge that is capable of moving. In this case, each tile would have that tiny space around it that it can grow and shrink just a little bit without it being a problem. Again, it goes back to the foundation, and what level that has to move and withstand the forces on the road.

I assume the tests they underwent already would include the questions of damage to the road from dropped hitches, car crashes, flat tires, etc. I would not be particularly worried about that. I do agree that the bumps are not going to be great to drive on at 70MPH, and they need to find a better answer to traction.

 

[Hkpkfan]

I would love to be a business owner of a large retail store or plaza or mall in a place like California, and then convert my parking lot to solar panels.

And then promote my business as ECO-FRIENDLY, and OFF the grid, and offer EV customers FREE CHARGING while they shop!!

And make EV owners happy they have a place to charge where they know is NOT using fossil Fuels to charge their vehicles!!!

Imagine the marketing they would receive for being a GREEN MALL!


If you had a choice, wouldn't you prefer to shop at a place with FREE EV charging using Solar Energy???

 

[doug]

If you had a choice, wouldn't you prefer to shop at a place with FREE EV charging using Solar Energy???

Yes, though, I'd imagine it to be cheaper and a more efficient use of resources to first put those solar panels on the roof of the mall, and second above the cars as a solar canopy where they can also provide shade. I'm sure there are also a bunch more suitable options before we got to putting solar panels under​ the parked cars.

 

[dsm363]

Exactly. I never understood why malls and other stores that know they won't be moving locations for 20+ years don't install solar canopy parking. Customers in warm states would love having shaded parking and you'd get your electricity bill reduced as a business. The numbers must not work out otherwise it would be common.

 

[dhanson865]

Exactly. I never understood why malls and other stores that know they won't be moving locations for 20+ years don't install solar canopy parking. Customers in warm states would love having shaded parking and you'd get your electricity bill reduced as a business. The numbers must not work out otherwise it would be common.

I think the problem is that the numbers used to not work out and people don't adjust to the new reality that they now do work out.

If you are one of the two bottom states on the US map (touching the US southern border or touching another state that does touch that border*) you are far enough south that covered parking is greatly appreciated all of summer and most of spring and fall.

* by that definition we have

California
Nevada
Utah
Arizona
Colorado
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas
Arkansas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Tennessee
Georgia
Florida

I could see dropping Colorado and Utah out of the list but the rest of those are easily hot enough to want covered parking.

The problem is it wasn't done that way in the past other than for drive in restaurants which went out of style (for most areas they are either cheap or run down). You have to get over the resistance to change and somehow make the covered parking look more modern and less like Sonic.

 

[aname4me]

My local Walmart has installed several rows of canopy with PV on top. Oddly, not in the rows closest to the doors, but on the front sides and side sides. I always park there bc in southern AZ winter, summer, spring, fall... shade is nice.

 

[FlasherZ]

Exactly. I never understood why malls and other stores that know they won't be moving locations for 20+ years don't install solar canopy parking. Customers in warm states would love having shaded parking and you'd get your electricity bill reduced as a business. The numbers must not work out otherwise it would be common.

Out here, it doesn't really work out. At commercial prices of ~4 cents per kWh, even with incentives and projections of power cost increases, installed systems don't beat ROI on other investments. The clean/environmental marketing angle doesn't even work out versus investment in other look-and-feel elements like clean & fresh storefronts. Building a canopy roof just to hold panels over parking spots isn't exactly cheap.

- - - Updated - - -

The problem is it wasn't done that way in the past other than for drive in restaurants which went out of style (for most areas they are either cheap or run down). You have to get over the resistance to change and somehow make the covered parking look more modern and less like Sonic.

I really don't believe that at all... if the numbers did work out, you'd see at least some businesses going that direction, pretty heavily.

I've done rough back-of-the-napkin calculations for my system, for a few businesses who have asked me about my PV system. At the current cost of power outside California, and the current cost of PV systems installed, along with incentives, ROI on electricity costs is still well over 25 years after you take into account building canopies to hold panels according to building codes (90 mph winds). You can make assumptions about growth of electricity prices and the draw of having covered parking using canopies, but in most cases business owners are investing elsewhere where it looks like there's a greater return.

 

[jvonbokel]

The strongest (substantiated) complaint about these roadways here seems to be about noise/wear at 70mph, but I don't think the designers ever said anything about interstate usage. That would be much harder to justify IMO because many miles of interstate are in relatively unpopulated areas, so the power would have to be carried long distances. I see this solution as more for "in town" use, where speed limits are <50mph, and maybe on some state highways where speed limits still top out at 55mph.

Would potential tire wear vary by speed?

 

[FlasherZ]

I still think the strongest complaint will be the cost and recovery payback , but we have to wait until July 2014 to see where they are. I have a feeling they'll get a third contract, though, to do a test road somewhere up there in Idaho.

 

[RubberToe]

As previous posters have said, I think the initial deployment of this should it actually happen would be in parking lots. Large ground level parking lots where many of the spaces aren't used a large portion of the time. Currently a large sea of asphalt serving no purpose. And they are literally everywhere. No concern over 90mph wind loads that you face with a canopy. No vehicles going 80mph over bumpy surface. While you don't get the shading a canopy provides, if there were even a 110v plug you could certainly keep the (electric) car cool. If they also implemented some kind of inductive charging you wouldn't even have to plug it in.

I'm imagining a standalone or grid connected system where part of the lot is covered with these glass panels, and a smaller portion of that is reserved for EV charging spots. There is a Tesla battery pack that gets charged by the panels, and supplies power to the cars that are charging. Doesn't have to be a super charger, since someone going shopping locally isn't going to need 150 miles of charge in 30 minutes. Just enough juice to give them say 30 miles and keep the car cool till they get back. Nice perk to provide EV car owners, and also gives them an incentive to shop a bit longer. Any excess not used to charge the cars gets applied to the business. Depending on the cost of the panels and overall installation costs, I could see this trending like current solar installations. A niche market at first, until the price drops to the level where it makes sense to start doing it for purely economic reasons.

The kickstarter campaign is already at $1.5 million so they can get some serious engineering done at least. Maybe one of the larger solar companies will take this concept and run with it?

RT

 

[doug]

Building a canopy roof just to hold panels over parking spots isn't exactly cheap.

I would guess, though, that's it's cheaper (and has better ROI) than the alternative suggested by this thread.

 

[jvonbokel]

I still think the strongest complaint will be the cost and recovery payback

You're probably right. I neglected to mention that one because I am an eternal optimist, which leads me to believe that the costs will come down in time and bring the paypack into an acceptable range.

 

[Bulletproof]

I watched the Solar Roadways video recently and found it pretty incredible. It may not be quite there for costs and such, especially the idea of placing all major roads sounds like a TON of work. However, to think how many lives would be saved by avoiding animals crossing, or ice/snow conditions causing collisions makes it so worthwhile. What would be amazing as well is if it could tell you if someone was coming from behind very quickly to avoid being rear ended. A friend of mine recently passed away due to being rear ended by a Jaguar going 80+MPH and simply didn't see him. Would love to see roads trying this out, I'd want to go see them in person and experience it for myself.

 

[doug]

We don’t need solar roadways, we need to help unleash current solar panels -- GigaOm -- Tech News and Analysis

 

[HVM]

 

[chickensevil]

It's a good video with some well reasoned arguments against it. At this point, they got their money, so it doesn't matter too much since we should know more soon enough.

 

[artsci]

I still think the best use for this invention is in the huge parking lots surrounding malls, box stores, etc. Flat, relatively low traffic, and a clear alignment of ownership and benefit.

Agree. We're talking about huge spaces will far less wear and tear than roadways. And I imagine there might be economic incentives for the developers.

 

[ElSupreme]

I still think the best use for this invention is in the huge parking lots surrounding malls, box stores, etc. Flat, relatively low traffic, and a clear alignment of ownership and benefit.

Agree. We're talking about huge spaces will far less wear and tear than roadways. And I imagine there might be economic incentives for the developers.

I still can't believe that putting solar panels in glass bricks capable of supporting vehicle traffic is cheaper, or better in any way, than putting traditional solar panels on structures above the parking lot.

Not only that you get shaded/covered parking, and most likely higher power yield due to less obstructions and clear smooth glass.

 

[dsm363]

Maybe if the snow melting capability really is there it might be useful for the traffic areas of parking lots (not parking spaces). In south people would much rather have shaded parking so solar panels shading the spots would be much better.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Up here in the frigid north, the snow-clearing ability of this proposal is intriguing. Solar sidewalks, anyone?