Solar roadways done right after all :-)

[AverageJoe]

Hi,

I just signed up to let you know that finally someone heard Dave's advice on solar roadways: the panels have to be mounted on a roof!

As part of a research project in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, it is planned to build a 10x17m roof-like modular PV demonstrator 5,5m above the autobahn A81.

Here's the news article (in german):
https://www.heise.de/news/Solardaecher-ueber-Autobahnen-Deutschland-plant-Pilotprojekt-noch-in-diesem-Jahr-6345802.html

My favorite quote (translated):
"Although the module design of the planned demonstrator has some cost advantages, a widespread application of solar roofs over highways is rather not to be expected in the medium term," the spokeswoman further told heise online. There are still large areas on which renewable energy can be generated less expensively, she added.

Cheers,

Joe

[Algoma]

From a Canadian point of view (heavy winter), There could be some concern note about the water runoff during heavy rain due to the surface area. And certainly falling Ice in winter. Also a Lack of sunlight on that area of road would cause a sudden traction change due to snow drifting and variable icy conditions under the shaded area.  Perhaps Solarize the length of the median strip, Plenty of unused area between the roadways, provided they can keep drivers away from them.

I still can't figure out how a few Toronto drivers manage to flip their vehicles over on a straight flat road at the first sign of light snow.

[AverageJoe]

I agree. Road conditions during the winter aren't as bad as they were some decades ago, but we still get some spontaneous snowfall nobody expected, resulting in trucks and cars stuck on the autobahn for hours. We're just not used to drive with more than a few mm of snow on the road any more.This contraption will certainly not imrpove the situation.
Even in bright sunlight it may not be perfectly safe unless they assemble it as a single light-tight roof, otherwise it will be a nice strobe light for cars passing under it on a sunny day. The speed limit on this secition ssems to be 130km/h though. That's a circa 36Hz strobe for 1/3 of a second :-)

Just read your edit: I fortunately never was witness to someone flipping their car, but once had the opportunity to see the second next vehicle in front of me turn180 degress on the spot, in the middle of a 2-lane convoy headed for the CeBIT trade show, on just 10-20cm of fresh snow. A few seconds later blue emergency lights turned on some cars behind me, so we all moved on and let the police sort it out. I still can't imagine how the driver got their car to do this stunt.

[tom66]

Still not convinced this makes sense.  It's more difficult to maintain than a regular solar array (almost certainly requires a highway closure to clean the panels, or to fix a fault), subject to collision risk, has the weather risk that Algoma mentions, plus stone chips and road salt/brake dust will spray up onto it.

Pretty much the only benefit is the state already owns the land.  But there's so much other land available, why choose a highway?

[jonovid]

if your going to do this then go the whole hog  & make the solar roof a steep gable to keep the snow off, then  add some wind turbines on the side of it.
while your at it add dual electric overhead wires for electric trolley-trucks under the roof, throw in some batteries banks for night time driving
then get the World Bank to pay for it.   

[daqq]

Not the first implementation, but it's nice to see people being at least somewhat reasonable about things.

https://wonderfulengineering.com/korea-is-making-cycling-lanes-in-center-of-its-roads-that-will-be-covered-by-solar-panels/

[nctnico]

Still not convinced this makes sense.  It's more difficult to maintain than a regular solar array (almost certainly requires a highway closure to clean the panels, or to fix a fault), subject to collision risk, has the weather risk that Algoma mentions, plus stone chips and road salt/brake dust will spray up onto it.

And let's not forget: the whole thing is going to be classified as a tunnel with all the safety requirements that go along with a tunnel.

[AverageJoe]

You want electric trucks, here you go:
https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Drei-Monate-Elektro-Highway-Wo-sind-die-Strom-Laster-4488124.html
There's another test section in northern germany:
https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Voll-auf-Draht-Praxistest-fuer-E-Highway-jetzt-auch-im-Norden-4646438.html