Solar Roadways

[Kekeb]

Re: Solar Roadways

Even if they only work at 1% efficiency, they'd still generate WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more electricity than the current ones.

that's a lot of electricity

[Kekeb]

Re: Solar Roadways

i'm sold

[Afrobean]

Re: Solar Roadways

any amount is greater than 0

@~@

[noname219]

Re: Solar Roadways

This has been in development since 2006.

They've already been working on that "next step" for quite some time.

edit: the roads wouldn't all be converted overnight, don't be stupid. They generate revenue, so they'd pay for themselves OVER TIME.

When I said "next step" I meant a full road or paking permanent integration, not just a drive-way. If everything works fine at this point, they can expect more private clients. The government has better interest to wait until the price of the materials and production goes down before building their roads with solar panels.

[hi19hi19]

Re: Solar Roadways

any amount is greater than 0

@~@

I think we're confusing "producing some benefit" for "benefit that's actually worth the astronomical initial investment and high maintenance costs"

Once again, while yes you are producing a little bit of electricity, you have to think of the tradeoffs.
Just because something is good does not mean it is worthwhile economically.

Nobody is going to go for this project unless its expected earnings outstrip the other options for that money, such as traditional solar farms or coal/gas/nuclear/whatever power plants.

[rushyrulz]

Re: Solar Roadways

Found the cost to cover solar panels on all paved roads in the US... $56 trillions (revenue for 2015 US federal budget is $3.34 trillion btw)

That's why you start with solar driveways, then solar parking lots, then solar sidewalks, then solar highways/interstate, then solar inter-city roads (which could be funded on a city-by-city basis as well), over the period of 10-15 years, assuming all goes well.

Hell, if you kept these things lit well enough, headlights would become obsolete.

Only thing I'm mildly concerned about is that the dimpled texture of the panels might be annoying to drive on.

[choof]

Re: Solar Roadways

fusion energy when

[Afrobean]

Re: Solar Roadways

Hell, if you kept these things lit well enough, headlights would become obsolete.

No. Headlights are used so that cars are visible to other cars. They are NOT used to illuminate the road. The only time they should be used to throw light onto the road is in the case of small roads with no street lights where basically no one is around who might be blinded by your high beams.

Only thing I'm mildly concerned about is that the dimpled texture of the panels might be annoying to drive on.

Check the roads sometime. They're already textured. Especially if there is any wear and tear on the road at all. Don't even fucking get me started on potholes.

[Cavernio]

Re: Solar Roadways

I wouldn't think that the friction of glass is safe to drive on at high speeds

[Reincarnate]

Re: Solar Roadways

I'm amazed this hasn't set off your guys' bullshit detectors.

thunderf00t put together a great video illustrating the major problems:

[choof]

Re: Solar Roadways

sick vid

rubix do you think fusion energy will ever come to fruition
and if so, do you think it'll ever be used on the same scale as nuclear fission

[Pseudo Enigma]

Re: Solar Roadways

they look so cool and
futuristic
just

do it now plx

edit: I don't even care if this is bullshit. It looks cool as fuck