# Solar Freaking Roadways... again. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 20, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051 "2017-05-20T01:47:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/1 "2017-05-20T01:47:12Z")
Will this nonsense never go away? The supposed plan now is to pave route 66. [http://u.pw/293k0u7?s=p](http://u.pw/293k0u7?s=p) > [@](#): > > The project is starting small but has plans to scale up quickly. To start, the solar panels will be applied to the walkway around the highway’s welcome center in Conway, Missouri, but the plan is to eventually extend the paneling to the highway itself. As in the past, they’ll start small with a sidewalk or two and it will go nowhere beyond that. I wonder how much the company makes on these “demonstration projects”? ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/2 "2017-05-20T02:50:59Z")
This company is nearby me and I have been rooting for them…until their first project. If you remember the [original thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=724220) kinda petered out right after they built their first demonstration project. I went to the grand opening. It wasn’t done. I went back two days later, it was kinda done. Lots and lots of problems for an idea that had several years and lots of money invested. This is from memory so … It wasn’t generating electricity and I believe was hooked into the grid to power the lights. Several of the panels weren’t working at all. The gaps between the panels were varied, covered with plastic or aluminum T strips and held down with machine screws, many of which were coming loose. I didn’t stop by this winter to see if it was melting snow. We had a lot of snow. I just tried to see if the webcam was up but my internet connection slows to flintstone speed in the evening. I did see a link to a page that was supposedly monitoring energy generated but once again, stymied. I’ll check it out later tonight and maybe take a drive up tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/3 "2017-05-20T04:41:44Z")
Gah. It’s just such a transparently stupid idea. We have tons and tons of available rooftops and plain old wide open spaces where we could install panels that are actually angled such that they catch maximal solar energy. And these guys think that instead of that, we should stick solar panels flat on the ground where they can be covered by dirt and pounded by heavy traffic. Heavy traffic that routinely destroys concrete and asphalt. I just don’t get why anyone who spends more than 30 seconds thinking about this believes there is any point whatsoever in pursuing such a technology. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/4 "2017-05-20T14:21:55Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > … > The gaps between the panels were varied, covered with plastic or aluminum T strips and held down with machine screws, many of which were coming loose. > … Well rhen, that certainly sounds like something that will hold up to highway traffic! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/5 "2017-05-20T22:31:25Z")
Nothing makes a better road surface than loose machine screws! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2017, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/6 "2017-05-21T12:39:32Z")
On one of the first videos I saw from these idiots they where talking about how it can withstand heavy machinery. They very carefully drove one of the smallest John Deere tractors over it. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/7 "2017-05-22T06:34:06Z")
I went to check on the original demo installation today. It was a glorious energy generating day, 76 f, sunny. It looks better now. All of the panels were lighting up. They have improved the gaps between panels. They now have a wider t-track type divider between each panel. The dividers are coated with a non-slip type coating, similar to the tape that we used to put on skateboards. There were no visible screws. There are some gaps where the tracks come together. The [webcam](http://www.cityofsandpoint.com/visiting-sandpoint/solar-roadways#ad-image-10) is now working. (Dark right now, so looks good). The page with the webcam has a link to a site that lists how much energy was generated, I believe per day. If I’m right they generated 1.25 kw/h, with a peak of 0.17 kw at around noon. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/8 "2019-09-19T07:09:01Z")
Solar Freaking Roadways… again. **Again** Bump. The original panels are being removed and replaced with “new and improved” panels. Here is a Spokane TV [news story](https://www.khq.com/news/watch-new-solar-panels-being-installed-in-sandpoint-town-square/video_cc4290c2-da82-11e9-9fec-3b846d308f4d.html) from tonight that will give you an idea of what they look like. I took a stroll to see how they were doing back in July and a few of them were dark, not working. The nearby graphic sign which is supposed to show how much electricity is being generated wasn’t functioning either. On the plus side none of the glass seemed to have broken. They new panels should be installed by the end of next week. I’ll take a look. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/9 "2019-09-19T07:49:39Z")
I opened this thread expecting to read about Newt Gingrich’s idea to use giant space mirrors to create perpetual daylight on the highways. Turns out it’s just something far dumber. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/10 "2019-09-19T10:42:16Z")
This is still a thing? I wish the resources going into things like this would be put into placing real functional and efficient solar panels (without the uneccessary bells and whistles) in practical locations. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/11 "2019-09-19T10:45:26Z")
This is pretty dumb, but they must have found someone even dumber if they still have money. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/12 "2019-09-19T11:51:53Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > This is pretty dumb, but they must have found someone even dumber if they still have money. This. I think it’s pretty common for “entrepreneurs” to gin up a project in order to attract investor funding, even if they know that success is technically impossible. This is especially true these days since it’s easy to crowdsource funding from the teeming masses through sites like GoFundMe or IndieGoGo instead of courting big bucks from a small pool of more savvy big-dollar venture capitalists; compared to the latter group, the former is far more gullible and demands far less accountability for how money gets spent. Here for example is a [maskless, hoseless, cordless CPAP](http://www.fundairing.com/) that’s been in “development” for years now. [It’s horseshit,](https://www.google.com/search?q=airing%20cpap%20scam&cad=h) but the developers managed to pull in almost $2M on IndieGoGo. How did they spend that funding? Who knows? ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2019, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/13 "2019-09-19T16:58:07Z")
there is literally an[xkcd](https://xkcd.com/1924/) for that [note the mouseover text] ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/14 "2019-12-03T01:27:31Z")
Bumping again as they have finally installed the New Improved panels. Two months later than they planned. [Local newspaper article](https://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/local_news/20191130/solar_roadways_unveils_new_panels). While the article is all sunshine and puppy dogs , the few comments seem to have less faith. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/15 "2019-12-03T02:58:05Z")
That article says that NASA is having them do part of the Kennedy Space Center parking lot. I’d love to know what that’s about. If that’s true my guess would be that it was a decision made by some third party facilities contractor, or some Trump appointee thought it was a good idea, or maybe the company’s owners contributed to Trump or some other influential politician. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/16 "2019-12-03T03:17:55Z")
From the article; “The panels are Solar Roadways’ first commercially available product and the company \*\*is in talks with several companies \*\*and entities. While they can’t name all of them, they can say that those entities include NASA to do at least a portion of the Kennedy Space Center parking lot and the city of Orlando to do a half-dozen small projects.” “Is in talks” :rolleyes: They haven’t really come through with anything promised so far. They are years behind initial projections. The demo installation which is only blocks from their office hasn’t worked well. I don’t have high hopes anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/17 "2019-12-03T03:35:46Z")
Here in the vast midsection of the country, we have miles and miles, of miles and miles. Much of it is crisscrossed by divided interstates with a good strip of median in the middle. I’ve often wondered if it would be practical to put solar panels there. Just on I-70 between Columbia and Kansas City, for example, there’s probably close to 100 miles of grassy median unimpeded by trees. Couldn’t we put panels there? I imagine there would be challenges, but it would have to be a whole helluva lot easier than installing and maintaining a solar driving surface. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/18 "2019-12-03T06:25:01Z")
I read about solar panel driving surface, and I think about places where it snows…and those big-ass snowplows tear up the pavement, scrape off lane markers, and weigh a zillion tons. Oooh, and all that salt mixes so well with electricity! Good idea! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/19 "2019-12-03T08:14:43Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Here in the vast midsection of the country, we have miles and miles, of miles and miles. Much of it is crisscrossed by divided interstates with a good strip of median in the middle. I’ve often wondered if it would be practical to put solar panels there. Just on I-70 between Columbia and Kansas City, for example, there’s probably close to 100 miles of grassy median unimpeded by trees. Couldn’t we put panels there? I imagine there would be challenges, but it would have to be a whole helluva lot easier than installing and maintaining a solar driving surface. Why? In the vast midsection of the country, you also have acres and acres of cheap land. In the absence of space constraints, roads should be where roads make sense, and solar farms should be where solar farms make sense. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051/20 "2019-12-03T12:23:37Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > I read about solar panel driving surface, and I think about places where it snows…and those big-ass snowplows tear up the pavement, scrape off lane markers, and weigh a zillion tons. > > Oooh, and all that salt mixes so well with electricity! > > Good idea! > ~VOW The claim is that the panels would heat up and melt the snow, so there would be no need for plows or salt. Of course the whole thing is nonsense anyway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solar-freaking-roadways-again/787051.md?page=2)