Solar Roadways

[dixincide]

TL;DR: Solar Panals replacing all roadways, generate energy, LED lights to allow for traffic warnings, durable and all that (watch video)

1. What are you opinions on these?
2. What are the negatives? When it comes to cost how long is the time frame on the ROE?
3. Has anyone seen these in action yet?

Video Link 6 minutes in total.
https://www.facebook.com/paksciencec...93518/?fref=nf
Website link
http://paksc.org/video/documentaries...-the-prototype


So, I've heard of this mentioned in the past and all of the good ideas to go along with it.
Some time has passed since then until this video popped up in my facebook feed. And it did make a lot of sense.
Although the video is a marketing pitch so it's obviously bias. But I am curious to know what everyone's opinion on these is.
What are the negatives that aren't being mentioned?
Has anyone seen any of these in use yet?

[AeneasBK]

Fake .

Something something after a day it will be so dirty it wouldn't work something something

[dixincide]

never thought about that lol.

[Grimbold21]

Isn't this something similar to what to planned - or plan - on doing in some dutch city? Plastic roads or w/e

[Jotaux]

It's been posted on these forums before, I want to see how it does when they actually put one of these solar roadways on an actual road.

Dirty solar panels will produce less power but its like a 25% decrease from what I read.

[Medusa Cascade]

Too expensive

[Cosmoz]

Stupid and a scam.

[cubby]

Yeah, not "fake" per se but the idea isn't practically feasible. There was a very long thread on this same topic about a year or so ago. Great idea, but actually doing the roadways would lead to massive repair issues - in any number of categories (time, money, voters killing their elected leaders, etc.).

What's much more practical was a study done this year that mapped out how many square miles of each country would need to be "soloarized" in order to produce the amount of electricity that is necessary for daily operations.

It was, quite frankly, amazing. I'll see if I can find it and repost.

- - - Updated - - -

Edit: So it was actually based on a study from 2009. Still fascinating.

http://landartgenerator.org/blagi/archives/127

[Adam Jensen]

Yeah, a good idea in theory but it has a few major issues. Mostly, the expense (would cost trillions to cover our roadways) and then vandalism and maintenance.

I think instead we should focus on getting solar panels to cover our rooftops and just keep with asphalt on the road.

[Simulacrum]

This is a scam made to trick "science enthusiasts" into giving them money.

[s_bushido]

Thunderf00t has done a few videos mocking the idea. It's one of those things that sounds neat on paper, until you sit down and think about it...when you're forced to ask "what's the point?"

[nextormento]

Sadly, we haven't developed the technology of magic just yet.

[Bad Ashe]

have you ever tried to get an electrician or building inspector to show up on time?

imagine needing both of them to sign off on every square foot of roadway installation, as well as maintenence...

but that aside; it will never happen, its just political bs. there are too many cheaper and simpler energy solutions.

[luc54]

Thunderf00t has done a few videos mocking the idea. It's one of those things that sounds neat on paper, until you sit down and think about it...when you're forced to ask "what's the point?"

We had topic about this year ago. I'll give link to one of the TF videos about it:

[mvaliz]

Meanwhile in the Netherlands - while my fellow Americans try to stroke themselves by thinking they've uncovered a conspiracy scam and thus creating more fear and no progression forward... our Nordic brothers are instead moving forward by simply creating/installing solar bike pathways as beta-tests (VERY successful ones!) that will eventually lead to solar roadway designs there.

http://www.sciencealert.com/world-s-...he-netherlands

[luc54]

Meanwhile in the Netherlands - while my fellow Americans try to stroke themselves by thinking they've uncovered a conspiracy scam and thus creating more fear and no progression forward... our Nordic brothers are instead moving forward by simply creating/installing solar bike pathways as beta-tests (VERY successful ones!) that will eventually lead to solar roadway designs there.

http://www.sciencealert.com/world-s-...he-netherlands

Since when are netherlands nordic? For your information nordic countries are the countries in Scandinavia(Norway, Sweden) and then Finland, Denmark and Iceland.
It's not even about some conspiracy either, but practicality of it. There are far better solutions out there than making pavements made out of solar panels as they aren't as efficient as the solar panels on top of the roads and then the maintanance will be issue at the same time.

[nextormento]

Here's one noble idea: put panels above the roads. Inclined so they don't lose half the efficiency. Not needing patterned surface dispersing light. Providing shadow to vehicles. Not being subject to mechanical abrasion. Being accessible to maintenance without needing to restrict traffic.
There's not a single piece to this solar roadway puzzling idiocy that passes the basic scrutiny of common sense.

[THE Bigzoman]

If you need a punchline like "Solar Freaking Roadways!" to get people on board, it's probably a terrible idea in practice.

[Revi]

Would be great if this was a practically realistic idea.. but.. yeah.. :|

[s_bushido]

Meanwhile in the Netherlands - while my fellow Americans try to stroke themselves by thinking they've uncovered a conspiracy scam and thus creating more fear and no progression forward... our Nordic brothers are instead moving forward by simply creating/installing solar bike pathways as beta-tests (VERY successful ones!) that will eventually lead to solar roadway designs there.

http://www.sciencealert.com/world-s-...he-netherlands

That's nice. Doesn't change the fact that if they just installed regular solar panels above the bike path it would have generated more electricity and cost less to build/maintain.