Super-Smart Solar Roadways

[Nathanael]

Another creative solar innovation: constructing roadways out of specially designed solar panels.

Check it out:


DOT Awards $100K for Super-Smart Solar Roadways Prototype



The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $100,000 contract to Solar Roadways for the development of the first-ever Solar Road Panel prototype.

Imagine driving on a highway that reduces our dependency on fossil fuel, revitalizes the economy, warns drivers about wildlife, lasts up to 21 years and prevents snow and ice buildup. The Solar Roadway is an “intelligent road that provides clean, renewable energy while providing safer driving conditions, along with power and data delivery.”

Instead of using traditional petroleum-based asphalt surfaces, roads and parking lots will be constructed out of new solar panels. Besides providing a smooth driving surface, the new solar roadways will be able to collect solar energy and help power homes and businesses. The panels will capture and produce energy from the sun and provide other intelligent features as well.

Link: http://www.energyboom.com/solar/dot-awards-100k-super-smart-solar-highway-prototype

[AlecBGreen]

1. *facepalm*

[Massacure]

2. $100,000 will buy them a single lane road a wopping 178 feet long.

I wonder if I will ever hear about this again.

[joshcryer]

4. 440 panels to make a one lane one mile road, $48 a sq foot, panels are 12x12 ft, so $3m per mile.

This is still quite expensive, but the cost could go down.

[tinrobot]

3. Run pipes under the asphalt

Collect the heat, use it to do something.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Yeah, solar thermal sounds like a better approach. nt

[Old and In the Way]

5. Interesting concept

Big front end investment, but I suspect the cost/panel would come down as the volume scales up. The break even point based on initial module cost and kwh produced @ $.12/kwh is 20 years. Should unit cost go down 10% and unit electrical output go up 10%, payback would be 17 yrs. I like the idea of 2.5 million jobs created to build/install/maintain and it's a pretty effective use of space to generate electricity. If I have all the decimal places accounted for, 5BB panels could generate almost 50% of the total US annual power consumption (100 Quads presently)- not bad for a measly $250BB investment. Sounds like our generation's WPA project....

[kristopher]

8. 100 quads?

Primary energy consumption includes input energy lost as waste heat from inefficient thermal generation.
This means that non-thermal sources like wind and solar only need to replace actual end use consumption plus things like transmission losses.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USEnFlow02-quads.gif

[Massacure]

9. $0.12/kwh is being generous.

That is the retail cost for electricity. Wholesale it is maybe half that.

Then again though, the the thought of a road which can pay for itself is entertaining.

[Dover]

Would the solar energy be stored? Any batteries in this plan? Or is it direct daytime use only?

Otherwise how would this work at night?

[Dover]

12. Would the solar energy be stored? Any batteries in this plan? Or is it direct daytime use only?

Otherwise how would this work at night?

[Kablooie]

7. I suggested this idea here on DU several years ago but didn't think it was possible.

Roads retain so much heat all over the world I thought it would be a great source of energy if it could be tapped.

[joshcryer]

10. I just wonder how this hardened glass will stand up to car accidents.

Then again, if you're putting LEDs everywhere in the road, sensors for cars to drive themselves wouldn't be too hard to add. :D

Zero car accident future? :)

[Dover]

11. Cool! Love that idea! I was just reading about another pavement solution called NaturalPave XL.

It would reflect light and appear more natural in color than black asphalt (using local aggregates), and also be better for the environment. Lots of new pavement options coming out that I HOPE will eventually drive asphalt off the road and out of business.

NaturalPave XL
http://www.sspco.com/naturalpavexl/naturalpave_OV.html

government uses:
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=87418bd8e4625c0661d9f09c88bdc800&tab=core&_cview=0&cck=1&au=&ck=

I'm wondering if there will be a pavement that is tough enough for highway use, but is also permeable. And of course cleaner automobiles will make a big different in the quality of the
runoff from roads getting into our water systems.