Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

ENDLESS ELECTRICITY: Here's A Way Of Turning America's Roads Into Gigantic Solar Panels
Business Insider ^ | 05/14/2014 | ROB WILE

Posted on 05/14/2014 7:13:32 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

solar roadways

Solar Roadways

Julie and Scott Brusaw.

There are about 31,251 square miles of roads, parking lots, driveways, playgrounds, bike paths, and sidewalks in the lower 48 states. If Julie and Scott Brusaw have their way, they will all someday be replaced with solar panels.

For the better part of a decade, the Idaho couple has been working on prototyping an industrial-strength panel that could withstand the weight of even the largest trucks. They now appear to have cracked the formula, developing a specially textured glass coating for the panels that can not only bear tremendous loads but also support standard tire traction. 

By their reckoning, at peak installation their panelized roads could produce more than three times the electricity consumed in the U.S.

The material could power electric vehicles through a receiver plate mounted beneath the vehicle and a transmitter plate is installed in the road.

solar roadways

Solar Roadways

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: indiegogo; photovoltaics; roads; solarenergy; solarroadways; solyndra
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101 next last
To: MeshugeMikey

I’m ready for some truth. I am so sick of the worrying and wondering what that Jacka** is gonna pull next. The worry is increasingly turning to anger.


81 posted on 05/14/2014 10:25:02 AM PDT by JWC 1965
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Nice try but I don't see this technology being feasible in the foreseeable future. It is possible that some of the technology can be transferred to other uses - like more durable roof panels.

However, just because the technology doesn't seem to have a feasible use today doesn't mean that it won't at some point in the future. A future technological break-through could dovetail with this one to provide something quite useful. No one knows exactly what the future holds and previously-not-feasible technology suddenly has a lot of uses.

82 posted on 05/14/2014 10:34:45 AM PDT by CommerceComet (Ignore the GOP-e. Cruz to victory in 2016.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JWC 1965

if everyone survives the upcoming hearing on Benghazi....it may not be all that long before barrys DOIG TIME!!


83 posted on 05/14/2014 11:06:11 AM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: MeshugeMikey

Sorry Mikey,but Barry will never do time.

That,unfortunately,is the way things are.

.


84 posted on 05/14/2014 11:08:31 AM PDT by Mears
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy
...every state in the US has a powerful road repair lobby, often affiliated with organized crime, and backed by strong unions...

Bingo

85 posted on 05/14/2014 11:14:00 AM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Shall Not Be Infringed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: ShadowAce

I think its pretty interesting.


86 posted on 05/14/2014 11:18:05 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: MeshugeMikey

I would say try him as a traitor, but I think you have to be a legal citizen first.


87 posted on 05/14/2014 12:09:59 PM PDT by JWC 1965
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

31,000 sq miles seems extremely low...


88 posted on 05/14/2014 12:10:00 PM PDT by terycarl (common sense prevails over all else)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MrB

Not to mention the hardened magnesium steel blades and tungsten carbide plow shoes! I`ve seen plows moving at about 40MPH so lets see, a 1.5 ton plow scraping and bouncing hardened steel and carbide blades across plastic at 20-40MPH! I just gotta see that in action!!!


89 posted on 05/14/2014 1:11:23 PM PDT by nomad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe
I can bet all the idiots promoting that retard`s of an idea have never driven a tractor trailer or a tandem/tri axle dump equipped with a 12 foot interstate snow plow.

That boondoggle of a ridiculous joker`s design wouldn`t wouldn`t stand up to one month of North Eastern Ohio`s winters before the roadway surface would be destroyed. I mean plastic, against hardened steel plow blades going up to 40MPH, P-LEASE!!!

90 posted on 05/14/2014 1:22:15 PM PDT by nomad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: nomad

Correction, the blades are hardened manganese carbon steel alloy, not magnesium, sorry bout that.


91 posted on 05/14/2014 1:24:11 PM PDT by nomad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: bigbob
If the joint were pervious so water could soak into the ground underneath that would be a plus.

Actually it wouldn't. Its the water seepage into the concrete or asphalt roads then the continuous freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw....etc. that destroys them.

The severe weather we had here in Michigan this past winter had a devastating effect on our roads........

With that being said, I firmly believe that our roads are built/repaired with inferior materials so as to cut costs and allow the local road companies such as John Carlo to underbid all their competition and continually repair and rebuild them.

The counties and state have no desire to build long lasting roadways which would cost more in the short term but would certainly save the drivers tons of money in costly damage to their tires, wheels and suspensions.........

When all logic fails as to why our roads are so bad, follow the money trail.........

92 posted on 05/14/2014 1:56:40 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Under Reagan spring always arrived on time.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: nomad
I bet they are from some place where the weather is about the same year-round, maybe a little hotter, a little colder, but not much.

I don't think they can imagine a 155 degree temperature swing in 6 months (-45 to 110 above--temps I have seen here), heavy truck traffic, snow, freezing and thawing, and the grit blown over the highway by an almost constant wind.

93 posted on 05/14/2014 1:58:32 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: MortMan

SolarRoadways is designed for a 250,000 pound load and have heating elements to keep the road snow & ice free.

I think they’ll handle a snow plow rumbling across them to get to asphalt that hasn’t yet been replaced.

As for the ice heave, they will have mastic between the panels which will help guide the run-off into the drainage channels to either side instead of getting underneath the panels, which will be mounted to the existing road surface wherever possible (upcycle what’s there).

Finally, the distance issue is really a non-issue. Most of the power produced within cities and towns will be consumed by immediately adjacent buildings. What power that needs to be transmitted could be either inverted into AC or converted to High-voltage DC.


94 posted on 05/14/2014 2:15:04 PM PDT by nconantj
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: achilles2000

If all USA roads, parking lots and sidewalks were replaced with Solar Roadways, the power generation could be over three times what we currently consume.


95 posted on 05/14/2014 2:15:04 PM PDT by nconantj
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: nconantj

So that’s the benefit - what’s the cost?

Vs

the cost/benefit ratio of expanding our use of proven “fossil” fuels?


96 posted on 05/14/2014 2:17:01 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Smart, creative, cool.

Let’s see if it works.


97 posted on 05/14/2014 2:18:33 PM PDT by Ted Grant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe
And the plows! I`ve driven them, you wouldn`t believe the abuse they`ll put on concrete or asphalt. I`ve seen steel expansion joints gouged by plow blades, now imagine that road is plastic!
98 posted on 05/14/2014 5:14:41 PM PDT by nomad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: nconantj

I very much doubt it. Apart from the physics issues (including short days, cloudy days, nights), there is the question of storage, which is makes the entire enterprise (as a replacement for hydrocarbons) ridiculous. Solar has some very good application, but you can’t run an industrial economy on it.


99 posted on 05/14/2014 5:19:45 PM PDT by achilles2000 ("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 95 | View Replies]

To: JWC 1965

Yes that might be another problem.

given the number of illegal alien felons hes had released a big BIG problem


100 posted on 05/14/2014 6:05:05 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ( "Never, never, never give up". Winston Churchill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson