Featured Solar road

I'm guessing they didn't account for road flex from passing trucks, or made a mistake on how much there would be with the road base they used or was in place.

The article wasn't clear, did the leaf mould actually damage the panels, or just reduce power generation? I could see it causing surface damage that obscured the panel surface, but can't picture how it would lead to breakage.

Was the thunderstorm damage just from heavy rain, or lightning strikes?

 

Good thing they did these test projects so the STUPID idea can be dismissed. The desirable properties of roads and solar panels have almost nothing in common. They both just happen to have the sun shining on them.

Mike

 

I like the idea of solar for lights and emergency things on roads, that way you don't need to lay cable the whole way. Making a road solar won't work in most of the world, maybe some islands.

 

After failing to engineer it to death, perhaps some heuristics would help.

First off, have you ever seen a road that never needed repair?.. ... Good, now picture your local DOT road crew fixing said road with newly installed high tech solar tiles... ...You're right - I can't picture that either.

And, of course, with solar covered roadways you always have yahoo's like THIS to contend with:

 

Not prima facie "STUPID", but rather an idea whose time has not yet arrived.

 

If there were solar roads here, guaranteed they would get paved over for a repair.

 

That too.

 

maybe they can put their idea where the sun doesn't shine

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Until a solar road is akin to a uniform amorphous photo illuminating material that requires no real technical structure,
The idea of a solar road is invalid

Might as well make a road out of toughbooks or fine China

 

It should never happen. The cost of a road is $x per square foot. The cost of solar panels are $y per square foot.
The cost of a solar road is probably 2*($x + $y) + more per foot. Probably more than 2x. The road bed has more prep work, the solar panels must be more sturdy and provide the right friction.

Maybe solar roads are a good idea after every roof has solar and every new construction project has solar and we just can't find new places to to put solar and don't want to cover up more open space.

Solar panels on roofs don't collect leaves and other debris (much) and the rain washes off most stuff, while roads are, well, on the ground where stuff collects. Solar panels should last 20-25-30 or more years while roads have to be repaved every 5 or 10 years depending on traffic. If someone thinks they can make a road last 25 years, without solar, let's start by doing that.

Mike

 

When the contractor is on the hook for the maintenance for 20 plus years, roads can last that long.

 

We'll eventually get there.

I've already advocated for solarizing existing rooftops now. Then go for the other human-made impervious surfaces after that, to avoid paving other the remaining biological surfaces.