Solar-powered glass roads the way of the future?

[jesseps]

Is a solar-powered glass road in our driving future? Scott Brusaw, an engineer from Idaho, believes so. With aid and interest from the federal government and General Electric, Brusaw has been refining his concept of the road of the future. Super-strong glass and solar cells embedded below the top layers could serve as both a nexus of travel and energy.

 

As the sun energizes the solar cells, energy can be transferred to power street signs, nearby homes and roadside businesses. In snowy climates, the collected energy could heat the roadway and melt snow and ice, eliminating the need for large fleets of plows.

 

Brusaw insists that glass developers can create a strong enough material that traction and durability would not be an issue. A few problems do stand in the way of course, as is typically the case with new ideas and technology. Most notable of these problems is the issue of cost. Brusaw estimates that it would costs about $4.4 million per mile to lay down this super-glass roadway. Of course, the road would eventually recoup that money and even generate a greater return, but the initial cost is a daunting one.

 

Brusaw hopes to begin proving the effectiveness of the technology and he is going to do so by starting smaller by teaming up with a nationwide chain to revamp existing parking lots. The lots could be heated and also over a recharging station for electric vehicles.

 

(Courtesy of Autoblog)

 

[Cyrus]

The main questions are suitability and durability, especially against temperature swings and snow plows and the like. The concept that the generated energy could melt ice and snow seems like total BS since already asphalt is black and heats up significantly from solar energy but that doesn't do much with snow (it does actually, but not enough).

[Habsfan]

The main questions are suitability and durability, especially against temperature swings and snow plows and the like. The concept that the generated energy could melt ice and snow seems like total BS since already asphalt is black and heats up significantly from solar energy but that doesn't do much with snow (it does actually, but not enough).

 

You won't need snow plows anymore. The glass road can sotre the heat from the sun and use that to heat the roads and make the snow melt, thereby annuling the need for snow plows!

 

In snowy climates, the collected energy could heat the roadway and melt snow and ice, eliminating the need for large fleets of plows.

[OursNoir]

Bien hâte de voir un tracteur avec des chaines se promener là dessus.

[Habsfan]

Bien hâte de voir un tracteur avec des chaines se promener là dessus.

 

 

On s'entend que les tracteurs devront enlever les chaines avant de sortir des champs!

[OursNoir]

On s'entend que les tracteurs devront enlever les chaines avant de sortir des champs!

 

On parle quand même des citoyens les plus entêtés de la province! Ils détruisent déjà les chemins avec leurs équipements en surcharge, pense-tu qu'ils se gêneraient pour en faire autant avec des routes high tech?

[MontréalYul]

Ils se compliquent tellement la vie...pourquoi pas tout simplement mettre des panneaux solaires sur tout les toits des maisons?? C'est de l'espace qui ne sert à rien. C'est bien plus simple et ça éviterait toutes les conséquences économiques liées à la reconstruction des routes...

[Cyrus]

You won't need snow plows anymore. The glass road can sotre the heat from the sun and use that to heat the roads and make the snow melt, thereby annuling the need for snow plows!

 

No you see that is what I mean. There isn't enough watts per square metre to do it, and in any event, the black asphalt is already an excellent solar heat absorber. It is kind of like the idea of putting solar panels on a roof, it reduces the solar load on the building. In California it is great but in Quebec it makes the house cooler inside when you want it heated Kind of like the saving spiral light bulbs, sure it only takes 15 W instead of 60 W, but now your baseboard has to burn up the difference...

 

The other possibility is using electricity to heat the road anyway since there must be some form of heating element in his design. But that is just going to be a ridiculous electricity hog.

[Timothé Mothibe]

Voilà une idée avec un bon fond mais à approfondir avant d'être réalisable. On se raprochent du films "Tron" de 1982, ce qui fait 31 ans.

Personne peut se douter ce que l'humain devra imaginer pour vivre en harmonie avec la nature...

[Arsenic]

Le projet a beaucoup progressé depuis la création de ce thread. Il ont d'ailleurs lancé il y a quelques jours une campagne sur indiegogo pour le financer.

 

 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways#home

 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways#home