This is innovative. Need it. Solar Roadways is a modular paving system of solar panels that can withstand the heaviest of trucks (250,000 pounds). These Solar Road Panels can be installed on roads, parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, bike paths, playgrounds... literally any surface under the sun. They pay for themselves primarily through the generation of electricity, which can power homes and businesses connected via driveways and parking lots. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways#home https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlTA3rnpgzU
What I've read about this is that it's pure pipe dream, at least at this stage. They don't actually have tech in hand that can do this, nor do they have a cost effective model. There's a mock-up that can withstand people walking on it, but that's about it.
Yep, great for sidewalks and areas not shaded with regular traffic blocking up to 60% of the daylight..
I feel like the roadway isn't a very efficient place to put solar panels. Like Fritz said, busy places will have cars blocking the sun a lot. And most roadways are also surrounded by buildings, which cast shadows. Also, what is the traction on these solar roadways like?
Turns out the one they built is outperforming their expectations (as a Bike path)! So with this Safety Glass coating it seems it may survive the avg 20 year lifespan of most PV cells after all? We'll see where it goes I guess. "The 230-foot stretch of road, which is embedded with solar cells that are protected by two layers of safety glass, is built for bike traffic" http://www.guardailtuofuturo.net/service/webs_news_frameset.aspx?id_news=6368
Check out Solar Window Technologies. I invested in them a few years back and one day soon, they will be big time, I think.
The spray on coating they came up with or the clear cells? 14% efficiency iirc, not bad for being clear. I'm sure "Sears" Tower and the rest will be covered with them or some variant of the them "soon". *After Google* OH Nice, Bio-based, paint-on arrays, http://solarwindow.com/technology/
