EEVblog #632 - Solar Roadways Are BULLSHIT!

[Delta]

As Meat Loaf sang; "I don't know what it is, but it just won't quit." 

[Brumby]

Oh dear 

https://www.arrow.com/en/research-and-events/articles/solar-roadways

Journali$m.  If it gets view$, then it's new$.

[LabSpokane]

Oh dear 

https://www.arrow.com/en/research-and-events/articles/solar-roadways

That Is even more obnoxious than Mouser shilling for Mars One.

[thm_w]

Oh dear 

https://www.arrow.com/en/research-and-events/articles/solar-roadways

"Arrow Electronics Customer Since: 2015", not long for a product that has a lot of electronics..
I've sent them an email (sitefeedback @arrow.com), saying it was a poor choice to support this project.

edit: that email doesn't work, used the web support one instead

[Mr.B]

And the crap continues...

Sandpoint Will Light Up Solar Roads This Friday
(published September 28, 2016)
http://m.boiseweekly.com/boise/sandpoint-will-light-up-solar-roads-this-friday/Content?oid=3899013

Now, on Friday, Sept. 30, Solar Roadways is scheduled to unveil its "first-even public demonstration" in Idaho's panhandle. KREM-TV reports the city of Sandpoint will be the first municipality in the nation to utilize roads that will feature solar panels and thousands of LED lights that will eliminate the need to paint traffic lines and caution messages on pavement. Most important, the micro- and macro-textures of the surface will be strong enough to support huge semi-tractor trailers.

[LabSpokane]

I'm going to try and be there for the unveiling of the solar freaking ...


... sidewalk.

[LabSpokane]

State and local governments have shelled out $68,734USD for 150 sqft of solar panel sidewalk.  My slightly damp cocktail napkin - upon which my Manhattan formerly rested - rates that at about 2100W of panels, assuming 100% coverage. Excluding all the engineered inefficiencies, the solar sidewalk has a thirteen times higher capital cost than rooftop solar - assuming installation costs of both are zero.

This installation appears to just lay the panels on a sand bed, like one was laying brick pavers. The panels are now a stack up of laminated glass with the electronics sandwiched inside. The city of Sandpoint will have a web cam on the installation. I am going to have to ask if they will have a watt meter as well. :-/

[Fungus]

The city of Sandpoint will have a web cam on the installation. I am going to have to ask if they will have a watt meter as well. :-/

I assume the web cam should be pointing at the watt meter.

(seriously, if you can contact them then ask them to do it!)

[LabSpokane]

The city of Sandpoint will have a web cam on the installation. I am going to have to ask if they will have a watt meter as well. :-/

I assume the web cam should be pointing at the watt meter.

(seriously, if you can contact them then ask them to do it!)

Just got off the phone with the city. There will be a watt meter and the data will be uploaded to the city website.  I wonder if there's a rooftop solar installation in Sandpoint that can be used as a control? 

I will post links as they become available.

Apparently there's a lot of press interest tomorrow.

[Delta]

Apparently there's a lot of press interest tomorrow.

Make sure you tell them about this project being thirteen times more expensive than conventional solar PV.  The press and the public may not be EEs, but they certainly understand their tax money being wasted!

[LabSpokane]

What I need are EEVBlog press credentials so I can ask quiz the SR folks about the costs and ROI in front of the rest of the media. The coverage here is so fawning and unquestioning that it defies belief.

[EEVblog]

What I need are EEVBlog press credentials so I can ask quiz the SR folks about the costs and ROI in front of the rest of the media. The coverage here is so fawning and unquestioning that it defies belief.

Say you represent the EEVblog community forum!

[EEVblog]

I'm going to try and be there for the unveiling of the solar freaking ...

Photos and/or video please!
Ask them why they don't just install them on the rooftops which will no doubt have no panels.

[EEVblog]

This makes solar roadways obsolete - 1 megawatt per square meter!

The potential of the new system is huge. According to their calculations, a 1m² membrane with 30% of its surface covered by nanopores should be able to produce 1MW of electricity

http://phys.org/news/2016-07-electricity-salt-three-atoms-thick-membrane.html

Shame that only 1000W/sqm of solar insolation hits the earth surface 

[Brumby]

"Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story, unless you can't think of anything better."
                                                                                                                             Mark Twain

[rolycat]

This makes solar roadways obsolete - 1 megawatt per square meter!

The potential of the new system is huge. According to their calculations, a 1m² membrane with 30% of its surface covered by nanopores should be able to produce 1MW of electricity

http://phys.org/news/2016-07-electricity-salt-three-atoms-thick-membrane.html

Shame that only 1000W/sqm of solar insolation hits the earth surface 

Is that relevant? The system being described isn't solar; it uses osmotic power.

Norway is researching osmotic power systems and estimates that it could generate 10% of its total electricity requirements this way. The limiting factor seems to be the available volume of water with a suitable salinity gradient, such as estuaries.

[LabSpokane]

Solar Freakin' Roadways failed produce/install their panels on time.  The big unveil that was to occur today is now set for tomorrow (Saturday) at 1:00 pm PDT.

[LabSpokane]

And the video.  According to the owner, Brusaw, making solar panels is like microwaving burritos...

http://www.krem.com/news/local/bonner-county/unveiling-of-solar-roadways-delayed/328122032

[EEVblog]

Is that relevant? The system being described isn't solar; it uses osmotic power.

Sorry, I just assumed it was asolar solution because that's what this thread is about, my mistake.

[coppice]

This makes solar roadways obsolete - 1 megawatt per square meter!

The potential of the new system is huge. According to their calculations, a 1m² membrane with 30% of its surface covered by nanopores should be able to produce 1MW of electricity

http://phys.org/news/2016-07-electricity-salt-three-atoms-thick-membrane.html

Shame that only 1000W/sqm of solar insolation hits the earth surface 

Is that relevant? The system being described isn't solar; it uses osmotic power.

Norway is researching osmotic power systems and estimates that it could generate 10% of its total electricity requirements this way. The limiting factor seems to be the available volume of water with a suitable salinity gradient, such as estuaries.

These osmotic systems are intriguing, but it seems like they need a level of cleanliness that would be hard to achieve on an industrial scale without using massive amounts of energy for the cleaning system. I haven't seen this angle properly addressed in the material I have read.

[LabSpokane]

We are in Sandpoint now. The SolarRoadways crew is still packing down the sand base for the panels to rest upon. Apparently the sand base was too low and they had to add more. The crew was very welcoming and I was invited to stand on an uninstalled panel. It did not break.

More to come...

[wblock]

According to the owner, Brusaw, making solar panels is like microwaving burritos...

The regret comes after the consumption?

[LabSpokane]

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