The largest solar bike road is not a success

[tszaboo]

https://www.zelfenergieproduceren.nl/nieuws/langste-zonnefietspad-ter-wereld/
It's in dutch, feel free to google translate it. The headlines:
120 panels were installed, costs 1.3 million EUR
They expect the road to only be able to handle 10 years lifetime, while regular bike paths have a lifetime of 60 years.
25-30% less energy than panels on the roof.
Creating the solar road made a lot of CO2 emission.

BTW, back of the napkin calculations: this 1.3 million EUR could've been used for 260 installations with 12-15 panels each costing about 5000 EUR, lasting 25 years easily, generating about 105 times more energy than the solar roadway.
If it is used as incentives, tax break for home installers, It could've been 1300 package of 1000 EUR incentive, generating 550 times more energy.
But, you know... institutional stupidity.

[Haenk]

Who would have guessed *that* 

[thm_w]

Shame as their other cycling infrastructure is so well designed.

Project was mentioned in the previous threads: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-850-french-wattway-solar-roadways-bullshit/

[MazeFrame]

At some point, they will figure out they can make bike sheds (and bus stops) with solar on the roof, hopefully...

[Haenk]

At some point, they will figure out they can make bike sheds (and bus stops) with solar on the roof, hopefully...

That's already a thing.
However, unless they are in a remote location, it's way better to invest in a large area of panels, that will keep infrastructure cost per kWh down.

[PlainName]

Not quite on thread but still solar panels and non-road usage...

Is there a benefit to grouping panels, so more power available (at low levels) from, say, a group of 10 than if you have 10 dispersed panels? I am thinking perhaps the low output from a single panel may not be enough to trigger the MPPT controller, whereas the accumulated 10x single panel outputs would.

[tszaboo]

Not quite on thread but still solar panels and non-road usage...

Is there a benefit to grouping panels, so more power available (at low levels) from, say, a group of 10 than if you have 10 dispersed panels? I am thinking perhaps the low output from a single panel may not be enough to trigger the MPPT controller, whereas the accumulated 10x single panel outputs would.

I have a solaredge system on the roof, with these DC optimizers, it turns on with as small as 10W output.

More about the 10 year lifetime:
I'm going to argue more, that logistically there isn't a way to install solar panels. Local municipalities are overloaded with road maintenance as-is, imagine they have to do maintenance 6 times as often, and the crews have to involve electrical work. It would be a nightmare to keep the roads functional.

[PlainName]

it turns on with as small as 10W output

Thanks. My single panel can often be putting out less than that, but I imagine if I had, say, five panels the combination would be over and get things going?

Given rising energy prices we are re-thinking our potential. Tried to install 10KW of them a couple of years back under the UK's rather generous feed-in tariff, but the local council refused planning permission because there was a very small (that is, theoretically over zero) risk that Great Crested Newts might be around.

[Haenk]

Given rising energy prices we are re-thinking our potential.

Lol, yes. The german Green Party has their opinions changed by about 180o. For the first time in 40 years, they are pro re-opening of coal plants, instead of (partly militant) protests against those. Same thing with nuclear plants. And, wow, did they protest against wind power plants - until now.

Concerning the personal solar installations, this is as awful here in Germany. You are allowed an installation of about 600Wh. If you intend to install more capacity und intend to sell unneeded energy, you are legally required to found a company, with all tax and legal issues. The only loophole is a small installation and donating your surplus energy to your local energy provider for free, declaring it as a hobby

[MrMobodies]

I'm going to argue more, that logistically there isn't a way to install solar panels. Local municipalities are overloaded with road maintenance as-is, imagine they have to do maintenance 6 times as often, and the crews have to involve electrical work. It would be a nightmare to keep the roads functional.

Makes me wonder about the mud underneath as in one from Germany that someone on this board discovered and Dave did a video and I think it caught fire and had to be covered over and it had weeds growing through it.

EEVblog #1236 – German Solar Freakin’ Roadways!
https://www.eevblog.com/2019/08/18/eevblog-1236-german-solar-freakin-roadways/