# Solar Roadways



## The Cake On BBQ (May 10, 2010)

> A small US-based company called Solar Roadways are developing a solar road surface that, if installed nationwide, has the potential to produce more renewable energy than the entire country uses. In fact, they’ve actually already developed a working prototype that’s been installed in a parking lot, and they’re now crowdsourcing funds in order to tweak the design and move towards production.
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> Solar Roadways, which was started by Scott and Julie Brusaw in 2006, designed and developed hexagonal glass solar panels studded with LED lights that could be installed on a variety of surfaces such as roads, pavements and playgrounds. These panels would more than pay for themselves and would benefit both businesses and homeowners as the energy generated from driveways and parking lots could be used to power buildings, and any excess can be sold back to the grid.
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> ...



http://www.iflscience.com/technology/solar-roads-could-power-entire-country#oB60C11wuCcdDR1l.99






If you'd like to donate: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways

This thing has gone viral in the last couple months, can't believe there isn't any threads about it here. It sounds really promising. What do you guys think?


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## tomkeus (Aug 19, 2005)

The Cake On BBQ said:


> http://www.iflscience.com/technology/solar-roads-could-power-entire-country#oB60C11wuCcdDR1l.99
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> 
> 
> ...


The amount of uncritical press this obviously useless idea is getting around the web is making me feel like i'm in an episode of Twilight Zone.


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## Сталин (Dec 29, 2011)

They have passed their goal donations on Indiegogo. It sounds like a good idea, but the only problem is how long it will take to implement it.


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## The Cake On BBQ (May 10, 2010)

It seems pretty easy and fast to install these things on the roads. How and when it will be prevalent is depending on the willingness of goverments and people.


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## Swede (Aug 24, 2002)

tomkeus said:


> The amount of uncritical press this obviously useless idea is getting around the web is making me feel like i'm in an episode of Twilight Zone.


I gotta agree. I _hope_ it's real and lives up to what it claims to do. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.


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## Argh (Jun 18, 2010)

Idea? Awesome. However to see is to believe. Their promo-video is great, but they have more than enough money (well, one million is plenty) to make a working prototype and see how it works.

And if it works, I can only say 4 words: go to Elon Musk. I mean this guy is all about making future closer, and he likes futuristic idea that pays for themselfs. besides, bot sure if there will be anyone else eager to participate in idea, which would mean powerful backstab in General Electrics and friends.


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## The Cake On BBQ (May 10, 2010)

^^ Did you actually watch the video? They _do_ have a working prototype, they raised money for starting mass-production.

Apparently Google is interested, but I hope they don't buy its patent or something because they are probably gonna abandon this project althogether, it's gonna be like Oculus all over again.


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## AcesHigh (Feb 20, 2003)

What's the cost per km vs asphalt or concrete?

also, one thing is to support the weight of a truck. Another, is supporting impacts.


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## Lefairh (Jun 19, 2008)

I've seen some concerns with rain water and the capability of these roads to properly absorb/deal with it. Other than that I feel the idea is awesome, however it reminds me that cell phone that had interchangeable parts ¿What happened to it? Ideas come and go but I want to see them come true.


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## AcesHigh (Feb 20, 2003)

Lefairh said:


> I've seen some concerns with rain water and the capability of these roads to properly absorb/deal with it. Other than that I feel the idea is awesome, however it reminds me that cell phone that had interchangeable parts ¿What happened to it? Ideas come and go but I want to see them come true.


not every idea is feasible.

again, what are the costs of these roads per km compared to normal roads?

"oh, but they can provide more energy than the entire US uses".

yeah, fine and dandy... but what if to completely replace US roads and streets with this tech... millions of kilometers, in order to produce so much energy, you would spend 500 trillion dollars? Money enough to create so many fission molten salt reactors, or invest in fusion until you get it right potentially creating much more energy than these roads would be capable while spending much less?


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## Scba (Nov 20, 2004)

It's just not practical for most surfaces. Driveways, and maybe some slow-speed parkways, perhaps.


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## bnk (Mar 25, 2006)

Total scam. You can "donate" money to make this happen. :lol: I hope all gaias give them money.


From the Youtube link




Brad Johnson
17 hours ago


*Just donated to this. Let's make it happen! ﻿*


Luc Laforest

9 hours ago




*Well ... To bad for you I would say ....*

I represent a serious corporation that could really move this technology ahead "If viable" of coarse, and for DAYS and many messages we've been trying to contact these peoples so we get information such as panel pricing, stocj availabliIity and/or possible distribution ...* But NOT A WORD from them*.

To us, this now just seems to be a; "*You like my idea, give me your money, so that I can pursue it and make myself millions and send you a keychain*" type of scheme.

And to people I advise that until you can get REAL INFORMATION


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## mareks96 (May 13, 2014)

The idea is great, but, how much grip you get on it compared to asphalt/concrete? If you slam the breaks and nothing happens, it is pretty much useless. Other thing is, can it clean itself? If it is all muddy or you have tire marks all around it, it is probably not gonna produce much energy, other thing is the cost, or how fast can it pay for itself? If it is more than 30 years nobody is gonna build it. And last of all,even though, not the least importan is that with today's efficiency of solar panels capturing sun's energy which is about 15-20 percent, it wouldn't produce much, but if we got it to 50 percent at least, it would be totally worth it and we would be good to install it everywhere and save the planet.


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## Jack Rabbit Slim (Oct 29, 2005)

I think in 20-30 years time this may become feasible with improved solar technology harnessing more of the sun's energy, and reduced manufacturing costs of the panels themselves, but at the moment there are too many question marks surrounding it.

I do very much like it as an idea though, a nation with even 50% of the roads covered by solar panels would be enough to power pretty much everything you need, from cars to houses, it 'could' be revolutionary, it just needs to become affordable and effective.


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## Evosparki (Apr 28, 2012)

Having looked at a few videos, all of the concerns raised in this topic is covered.
I've contributed $100.


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## Herzeleid (Nov 3, 2005)

it could also be teamed up with this for maximum energy production



> Innowattech of Israel generates electricity from road traffic
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> Innowattech's first-of-its-kind project demonstrates how Israeli technology can generate electricity from generators installed beneath a road's asphalt layer.
> 
> ...


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## tedthearchct43 (Apr 30, 2014)

Jack Rabbit Slim said:


> I think in 20-30 years time this may become feasible with improved solar technology harnessing more of the sun's energy, and reduced manufacturing costs of the panels themselves, but at the moment there are too many question marks surrounding it.
> 
> I do very much like it as an idea though, a nation with even 50% of the roads covered by solar panels would be enough to power pretty much everything you need, from cars to houses, it 'could' be revolutionary, it just needs to become affordable and effective.


I would agree with this response. The idea may be brilliant but can this be implemented tp other countries, not just on one country? I would like to see it becoming feasible in the long run.


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## Avernakis (Dec 20, 2013)




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## Marathaman (Jul 24, 2007)

Yeah this is a stupid idea.


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