Solar panels embedded into roadways could produce more energy than anyone could use and allow for electric vehicles to be continuously charged while driving! Here is the link:
Originally posted by sonhouse Solar panels embedded into roadways could produce more energy than anyone could use and allow for electric vehicles to be continuously charged while driving! Here is the link:
http://www.physorg.com/news171545860.html
I think the idea is great. I don't like the cost of a panel but the idea is sound. They could have charge stations for electric cars every few miles and charge enough money to pay for the system and maintenance.
Originally posted by FabianFnas One advantage with asphalt is the high index of friction.
The colar cell coating, I guess, has a lower friction index.
I am thinking what in reality will be used is a method of converting solar heat to electricity, maybe not as efficient as PV cells but the converters could be buried in the asphalt and use the heat generated and still get the friction benefits of asphalt and be nearly indestructible.
Heat conversion to electricity is already known and newer methods have already increased the conversion efficiency.
Why roads, I wonder. And not something less prone to daily physical pounding like the roofs of
buildings. I understand there are more square miles of roads than roofs, thus giving max
exposure to sun...but it just seems like our roads are too damage prone (not that roofs are free
of abuse). I'd be interested to see how tough these panels were and how long they'd last before
needing to be replaced. Hmmmm.
I love the imagination of it though, and the other technologies like animal sensors, etc.
Originally posted by Traveling Again Why roads, I wonder. And not something less prone to daily physical pounding like the roofs of
buildings. I understand there are more square miles of roads than roofs, thus giving max
exposure to sun...but it just seems like our roads are too damage prone (not that roofs are free
of abuse). I'd be interested to see how tough these panels wer ...[text shortened]... .
I love the imagination of it though, and the other technologies like animal sensors, etc.
There is one experiment in California where they are putting up PV's on the side of the roadways, much the same thing, in that they use the same wasted space just not the road itself, standard cell assemblies. No wear from cars and trucks, except for the occasional runaway truck....
Originally posted by Traveling Again Why roads, I wonder. And not something less prone to daily physical pounding like the roofs of
buildings. I understand there are more square miles of roads than roofs, thus giving max
exposure to sun...but it just seems like our roads are too damage prone (not that roofs are free
of abuse). I'd be interested to see how tough these panels wer ...[text shortened]... .
I love the imagination of it though, and the other technologies like animal sensors, etc.
Originally posted by sonhouse Solar panels embedded into roadways could produce more energy than anyone could use and allow for electric vehicles to be continuously charged while driving! Here is the link:
http://www.physorg.com/news171545860.html
how come the roof and hood of a car aren't made of solar panels?
Originally posted by joe beyser There wouldn't be enough area to convert enough solar energy on something that small.
Actually, there is a development in solar cells: Solar paint, where the paint job generates electricity. Although it would not go far to power a moving vehicle, it is clear if you park in the sun and go to work, after 8 or so hours of direct sunlight, you can have a significant increase in the mileage of a hybrid vehicle. So it is a technology that well deserves attention.
Originally posted by sonhouse Actually, there is a development in solar cells: Solar paint, where the paint job generates electricity. Although it would not go far to power a moving vehicle, it is clear if you park in the sun and go to work, after 8 or so hours of direct sunlight, you can have a significant increase in the mileage of a hybrid vehicle. So it is a technology that well deserves attention.
I always thought a mini windmill on the front of cars would be an easy way to produce electricity...you might increae a bit of drag but the lower fuel usage might mean a net gain
Originally posted by uzless I always thought a mini windmill on the front of cars would be an easy way to produce electricity...you might increae a bit of drag but the lower fuel usage might mean a net gain
You would have a net loss. The extra drag would be greater than the extra charge. Otherwise some bright engineer would have invented a perpetual motion machine in which a windmill powers itself along in order to generate the wind to turn itself - obviously doing it in water would work even better. You put one propeller on the front which drives a turbine which charges the battery which drives the motor which powers the propeller on the back. Do you see the problem?
Originally posted by twhitehead You would have a net loss. The extra drag would be greater than the extra charge. Otherwise some bright engineer would have invented a perpetual motion machine in which a windmill powers itself along in order to generate the wind to turn itself - obviously doing it in water would work even better. You put one propeller on the front which drives a turbine ...[text shortened]... e battery which drives the motor which powers the propeller on the back. Do you see the problem?
One thing some MIT students developed is a way to get free energy from driving: electromagnetic shocks instead of pneumatic ones. There is a fluid that drives a small turbine hooked to a generator and they found it works better than the old shocks and produces as much as a kilowatt basically for free. There are now designs afoot eliminating the alternator and just recharging batteries, etc., by just the energy generated by the shocks!
09 Sep '09 01:37
Here is an idea worth pursuing: Solar roads!
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