Posted on 08/22/2019 4:17:32 PM PDT by tcrlaf
There will be some hiccups on our path to a more environmentally-friendly future. Some hiccups, like exploding electric cars, will be bigger than others. So, I’m willing to excuse France for the very, very predictable failure of their solar panel road.
On the off chance you have not been thinking about the solar panel road—cheekily dubbed Wattway—over the last several years, allow me to refresh your memory.
n 2016, the French government in conjunction with the company Colas built a one-kilometer long road covered in solar panels in a small village in Normandy for $5.2 million.
Protected with silicon and resin, the thinking went it could withstand the punishment from thousands upon thousands of vehicles while generating electricity for nearby homes. Pretty neat!
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
But the correct political cronies made MILLIONS putting it down, so all is good and forgiven. After all, it's just taxpayer money, who really cares?
Meanwhile, in America:
“Solar Roadways receives PHASE IIB contract from USDOT”
http://www.solarroadways.com/
Also, why Normandy France? It's cloudy most of they year. Some enterprising inventor with private investors should experiment with this where there's sunlight most of the year, like New Mexico or Arizona.
Frog Dumb-Assary is alive and well.
It doesn’t work even there. It’s been tried.
Fair enough.
Interesting idea, but I think they could have tested it with a couple hundred feet instead of a kilometer for a whole lot less.
See these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM50P4K9UVk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ngWjH0jdRo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7nbYBcH0tU
The problem isn’t “not enough sun in the area.”
Or even better, norther Canada and Alaska with endless sun for a solid 6 mos.
Specifically, the problem is that solar roadways and solar pathways is a really stupid idea in the real world.
Doesn’t work either. You could have 24 hour sun, 365 days a year and a solar roadway will still be an inefficient failure. The physics simply do not add up - a flat photovoltaic panel is hugely inefficient.
It won’t work on a road number one because of *damage*.
But in general for panels, perhaps lots of direct sun for a very long time would help store up some energy.
I still think all these EnviroMental things are stupid. Worse that tax money is being thrown at them.
Previous posts, same story:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3772498/posts 8/17/19
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3771814/posts 8/14/19
The story is monumentally unhelpful in giving relevant details. Nothing is unrepairable. The question is cost. The story also says that the road only generated half the power expected, in part because litter blocked sunlight. Whatever. Very few of the roads I drive on have significant debris cover. Snow in the wintertime would be a different matter.
The question is cost per kilowatt hour on what was an ambitious demonstration project. The article doesn't give a hint about that. Solar power is extremely space consumptive. Utilization of existing surfaces is a longstanding design objective. People have talked for years about possible solar coatings that could turn every rooftop, every window, every exterior wall, and yes, every road, into a solar power source.
If this could be done economically, it would indeed be a game changer. (Assuming the solar coating wasn't so unsightly that you wouldn't want it on your house.) We have a lot of surfaces that are basically wasted space. Our cities in particular devote huge percentages of their land area to streets, roads and parking lots. I'd much rather use that space than cover great stretches of countryside with solar farms...
… if the technology ever advances to where it's cost effective. I have no objection to a demonstration project to test the concept. Especially if the French are paying for it.
Normandy? I guess John really does have a long moustache.
Maybe it wasn’t working right because people were too critical. Low self esteem can make it difficult for panels to flourish.
Maybe it would have worked if everyone turned on their headlights.
Somebody made millions and that was the whole point. Huge success for them.
Why use a desert when you can use a road. Brilliant. Next we need to put wind turbines inside car tunnels. Wow....pass the doobie....
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