Can our highways, avenues, bike paths, sidewalks and parking lots be turned into a source of renewable energy to power the country at much lower cost than today? Programmable LED’s would also send information to drivers, while eliminating the need for painted road markers, while built-in heat sources would make snowy and icy roads a thing of the past. The project already received funding from federal highway authorities for a pilot project. Watch the movie and share your thoughts.
24 Responses to “Solar Roadways. When?”
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Possible. Not everywhere, but possible.
Cost to maintain? Toll roads everywhere to pay for it?
I don’t think I will ride on this during my lifetime.
great idea… but how much does it cost to produce these panels, and even ramped up into major production how far down does the cost go. failure rate, life span, etc…. without this information it’s hard to tell if it is even feasible.
This is what happens when you allow large populations of civil-engineers smoke high-powered weed. Good things happen – and they happen at a quicker pace. 🙂
This make work in some areas. But for damn sure the Unions will put a stop to this. Im talking about the salt truck drivers, the gypsy asphalt pavers, and anyone that fill pot holes. Do you know they purposely put crappy asphalt on purpose so they can secure their own jobs.
I try to keep an open mind on new ideas but in this case it doesn’t seem feasible. Where I live I don’t see it handling the change of seasons and traffic load. Not to mention all the politics and money to get it approved.
“But for damn sure the Unions will put a stop to this. Im talking about the salt truck drivers, the gypsy asphalt pavers, and anyone that fill pot holes”
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All persons of any ilk and politic will be welcome at the Soylent Green processing plant.
S-G entree level positions will open when the first dead section of The Great Barrier Reef emerges.
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This solar subject allows me to remind all motorcycle manufacturers to participate in the “hangover-work-loss-project” now being conducted, to see how much time and creative effort is lost, when workers on average spend 72 hrs. fully recovering from an alcoholic binge on Saturday-Sunday – which means they won’t be “back” fully operational until Wednesday-noon at the earliest. So, that leaves Thursday and Friday as fully aware time periods, and ready for Friday-Sat. night when the drinking starts all over again. 🙂
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I’ll smoke (1) iced-bong of 30%ThC Sonoma Coma (sativa) for every drink a juicer downs until a judge says “Stop”. Then we’ll have a cone-course M/C agility test and see who’s incapacitated. 🙂 Extrapolate that into the workplace and weed wins over alcohol every single time. Hemp seeds stopped at the border were released for immediate planting in Tennessee last week. The DEA lost their control in the House last week. We’re pushing a bill through the Senate now. History is being made this month. 1936-2014 was a long war.
There were doubts about a trans continent RXR too but it happened.
Look at the airline traffic today & how the Wright brothers ideas & execution changed humanity.
Great video. A lot to consider….
Thanks Cyril !
I really appreciate the unhinged presentation of this Solar Video.
All media should be formatted as such, since it dummies-down the message to red meat.
@Kirk Perry
I’m with you 100% on your take. I’m 60 now and have done my share of both and the alcohol definitely took a higher toll. I’ve known several guys who died on their scoots alcohol related. I’m sure we’ll get some disagreement from one of the resident geniuses out there. If you happen to pass through Colorado this summer enjoy the states beauty and bounty.
@mkv
A lot of those jobs are no longer union jobs. “Right to Work” laws have killed off a lot of unions. One of the two major political parties in this country is very anti-union.
I don’t know about interstate highways but I bet Walmarts and Targets would gladly spend a few hundred extra G’s for a parking lot that never has to be plowed or striped and pays a chunk of their electric bill. Now if the next gen solar roadway could charge an electric bike or car as it drives…That could become a massive industry that employs and exports all over the world.
You still have to build a stable road bed before you can lay this stuff down. When it comes to flat lands I can see this interlocking octagonal shape being an issue. A flat road actually has peaks and valleys (/\/\/\/\)built into it so water will drain off into ditches and/or storm sewer inlets. I don’t see where you can make smooth transitional high or low points with that shape.
And even though they claim it meets current traction requirements something about riding on wet, bumpy glass doesn’t make sense.
Ha ha, I bet we’ll never see this in Canada, where they’ll be snow covered half the year. These guys can’t even keep our crappy roads properly patched.
The :39 times lot does not bode well for riding, but in the initial phases of this product there are loads of opportunities.
Clark Griswold – your Christmas decorations for your driveway are in!
“I’ve known several guys who died on their scoots alcohol related.
If you happen to pass through Colorado this summer enjoy the states beauty and bounty. 🙂
• died on their scoots alcohol related.
Taken – like every person we know, if you reel-back the history – sometimes leading to family grief so deep, mechanics walked away from the bench.
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Busting “dinoursaurs” today is fun!
Taking the diamond-lane south on the I-5 to the VA, I was bumping along about 69 mph, nobody behind me, so I began reading the white letters in my center lane. It read:
(diamond) carpool only.
That’s obsolete.
It should now read: carpool M/C Only
We’re not sitting on the “back of the bus” in the diamond lane.
We want to be read and recognized. We got rights! Paint them in there.
I’m surprised this hasn’t already happened a long time ago.
If this ever happens just be prepared to have big brother in your vehicle with you. If they are able to transmit info from the road to your vehicle they’ll be able to track you and kill your engine if needed, slow you down from speeding, etc. I like technology but big government will find a way to intrude into our lives and take our freedoms with it.
I want what Kirk’s smoking.
There is a paint already available at hardware stores for bricks, pots, and pathways in your yard already. There is also a patent on flourecent paint solar powered that lasts 8 to 10 hours. I don’t think we are too far away from this concept. It’s a good one.
KD – I didn’t catch where the road is transmitting data to the vehicle. The info. Is communicated to the driver of the vehicle by broadcasting a message such as “Slow” on the roadway (e.g. A tree limb on the road)
Doug – transmitting info is the same as transmitting data, data = info. If ANYTHING is transmitted it can eventually be used as I stated. Question is: Will laws prohibit it? It can be done now with lo-jack and GPS in your phone, etc., but this is just another way for it to occur.
KD I think you’re missing it. The road isn’t transmitting anything back and forth into and out of the car. It’s “transmitting” data by illuminating itself. If there’s an accident or a road blackage ahead the street will light up “Slow…road blocked ahead” or something similar.