Solar Compass Project - Kamloops, BC

[LabSpokane]

This one is so blatantly bad, it makes SolarRoadways look like a model of integrity.

They are claiming up to 13kWe of power from 13m^2 of solar panels embedded in a walkway. For those not in on the joke, sunlight strikes the earth at a maximum power of approx. 1kW/m^2, so these jokers are claiming 100% efficiency. The cells might be 15-20% efficient at best. And as we all know by now, a Solar Road might generate 25% of what well-sited solar can produce.

http://infotel.ca/newsitem/first-solar-road-in-canada-coming-to-kamloops-this-summer/it41171#.WPzKIHFe1NY.twitter

http://solarcompass.blogspot.ca/?m=1

http://kamino.tru.ca/experts/home/main/bio.html?id=mmehta

[Ian.M]

Worse, they are claiming over-unity! Kamloops is at 50° 40' 34" N, 120° 20' 27" W, which is 27.24° north of the Tropic of Cancer so, on level ground you loose another 11% insolation due to the incidence angle even at full noon on Midsummer's day.

[boffin]

I'm sure AvE will wander by and show that it just doesn't chooch.

[LabSpokane]

Worse, they are claiming over-unity! Kamloops is at 50° 40' 34" N, 120° 20' 27" W, which is 27.24° north of the Tropic of Cancer so, on level ground you loose another 11% insolation due to the incidence angle even at full noon on Midsummer's day.

Good catch.  For those playing along at home, Ian is referring to Lambert's cosine law, which is detailed here:

http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/ideas/Insolation.html#insolationandlatitude

Cos(27.24) = 0.89 = 89% of theoretical maximum solar insolation at Kamloops' latitude.