Solar Freakin' Roadways

Diabolical666 said:
Yeah cool and all but wont happen.Just one of those panels is retarded expensive
Click to expand...

Not really. And I suspect you didn't watch the video. These panels could be sponsored by electric companies who in turn receive the free energy to redistribute, or could be subsidized by government programs, or paid for at the town and state level.

It is totally fucking stupid to completely dismiss a world changing idea because of some unfounded and under-researched counter position, like cost.

And by the way, the couple are already months in backorder for driveway requests.
 
I watched it...also watched a cpl vids on it when the 1st prototype came out. I been following it a bit and on a higher level and not just some vid some jackass made about it. js. WE have the ability to go totally green and create faster transport railways but we(america) dont do it why? no funds, we need all those tax dollars to go to war, right?
 
Sounds like a great idea when it hit the public a year ago, but it simply doesn't seem realistic for SO many practical reasons. Check out the counterpoints in this video that addresses all the real challenges -


This video has a lot of well-reasoned comments attached to it on its YT page, it is worth reading through them...
 
Last edited:
Energy is for those who can afford it, that's how the system works. They'll do solar panels, but the energy will be privatized and sold just as expensive as it is now, if not worst.
 
tyler.durden said:
I know, I love these ideas and hate being the bearer of bad news but reality rules. I'm not much fun at parties, either...
Click to expand...

1. That counter video was interesting, he had one or two good points, but most of it was unfounded bashing. I can poke holes in his argument almost throughout the entire video.
2. So it seems you dismiss the entire idea because it may not be as efficient as theoretically thought.
3. Driveways, sidewalks, patios are definitely a great start. Then move to small municipal roadways, and on.

This video, likely contrived by a petroleum lobbyist, is a condescending dismissal on an idea that could potentially work.

He was comparing a pogo-stick going to the moon for god sakes. Mostly everything he said is unfounded. Where he had some reasonable arguments was in the LED lighting. But that's not the heart of this idea.
 
see4 said:
1. That counter video was interesting, he had one or two good points, but most of it was unfounded bashing. I can poke holes in his argument almost throughout the entire video.
2. So it seems you dismiss the entire idea because it may not be as efficient as theoretically thought.
3. Driveways, sidewalks, patios are definitely a great start. Then move to small municipal roadways, and on.

This video, likely contrived by a petroleum lobbyist, is a condescending dismissal on an idea that could potentially work.

He was comparing a pogo-stick going to the moon for god sakes. Mostly everything he said is unfounded. Where he had some reasonable arguments was in the LED lighting. But that's not the heart of this idea.
Click to expand...

I didn't perceive it as unfounded bashing, but I could be wrong. I thought he had some great points about the existing power infrastructure, the actual costs of switching to and maintaining the system, the problems with glass as a road surface, the problem of switching to alternative power on overcast days and during the nights, the theft of the panels, etc.. I think it's a promising idea, maybe starting in the private sector to see if they can make it work in private parking lots and roadways. If they can make it work, I'm sure that would pique public/gov't interest even more. The main problem that I see is that this engineering couple seems to side-step the hard questions that are posed to them, and they've deleted a lot of this line of questioning from their sites. I try to look at all sides of an argument to avoid bias, and I simply cannot find unbiased, credible support for their vision. When I google, 'When will solar roadways happen', there are many sources pointing out the seemingly insurmountable challenges of this vision, but not much good information on the other side. If you would post credible, unbiased information supporting this idea, I'd love to take a look. I'd love nothing more than to see this idea take off and be truly workable, but from the info I've read thus far it doesn't look promising on a large scale...
 
Elon Musk said that's just more money for me to make more high dollar Electric cars that the regular working person can't afford!
Where's Tesla when you need him !
 
tyler.durden said:
I didn't perceive it as unfounded bashing, but I could be wrong. I thought he had some great points about the existing power infrastructure, the actual costs of switching to and maintaining the system, the problems with glass as a road surface, the problem of switching to alternative power on overcast days and during the nights, the theft of the panels, etc.. I think it's a promising idea, maybe starting in the private sector to see if they can make it work in private parking lots and roadways. If they can make it work, I'm sure that would pique public/gov't interest even more. The main problem that I see is that this engineering couple seems to side-step the hard questions that are posed to them, and they've deleted a lot of this line of questioning from their sites. I try to look at all sides of an argument to avoid bias, and I simply cannot find unbiased, credible support for their vision. When I google, 'When will solar roadways happen', there are many sources pointing out the seemingly insurmountable challenges of this vision, but not much good information on the other side. If you would post credible, unbiased information supporting this idea, I'd love to take a look. I'd love nothing more than to see this idea take off and be truly workable, but from the info I've read thus far it doesn't look promising on a large scale...
Click to expand...

Do you believe the creators of this product when they say each panel pays for itself over time?

Do you think that solar is an efficient means of producing energy? Notwithstanding current costs.

If you answer yes to either of these questions, we should be looking at ways to progress this technology rather than dismiss it.

Railroads were once thought to be a really stupid idea, a money pit if you will. And today it is the greatest logistical achievement of all time, besides the invention of the wheel.

Smart phones that you touch the screen to do more things than just make phone calls? What!? That's absurd! Way too expensive to even fathom.

You want to send what to where?!!? No way we can send man to the moon, that would be too costly and does nothing for us. No way, no how!

I think you and I simply think differently. Risk taking and bleeding edge technology is my comfort zone, and I suspect you're more of a, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of person.
 
oldtimer54 said:
Elon Musk said that's just more money for me to make more high dollar Electric cars that the regular working person can't afford!
Where's Tesla when you need him !
Click to expand...

Telsa is making a $35k car. Will be here in about 2 years.
 
see4 said:
Do you believe the creators of this product when they say each panel pays for itself over time?
Click to expand...

I don't know if I believe the creators on a lot of what they claim, they've contradicted themselves many times, and it's hard not to be biased regarding one's own creation...

Do you think that solar is an efficient means of producing energy? Notwithstanding current costs.
Click to expand...

I think that it the tech is efficient in the context that most cells produce slightly more than their cost, but they seem inefficient to quench a large portion of the the world's energy consumption...

If you answer yes to either of these questions, we should be looking at ways to progress this technology rather than dismiss it.

Railroads were once thought to be a really stupid idea, a money pit if you will. And today it is the greatest logistical achievement of all time, besides the invention of the wheel.
Click to expand...

I wasn't aware that the RRs were thought to be a bad idea. I know that the government's handling of their production was terribly corrupt and inefficient, but JJ Hill showed just how efficient RR production could be in the right hands. If you could link to a source that thought they were an all around bad idea, I'd love to take a look...

Smart phones that you touch the screen to do more things than just make phone calls? What!? That's absurd! Way too expensive to even fathom.
Click to expand...

I never heard of smart phones being unrealistic, either. Then again, what I haven't heard of could fill the Grand Canyon. I don't mean to ask you to do a lot of work for me, but I'd like to see the original opposition to these devices, too...

You want to send what to where?!!? No way we can send man to the moon, that would be too costly and does nothing for us. No way, no how!
Click to expand...

I can see people's short-sighted reasoning on this; going into space while we have so many problems here which that money could solve? But, of course, as a species we need to get off this planet eventually if we intend to survive. Old Sol isn't going to last forever...

I think you and I simply think differently. Risk taking and bleeding edge technology is my comfort zone, and I suspect you're more of a, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" kind of person.
Click to expand...

Yep. You seem like a pioneering type, and I am so not that guy. I like to jump in after people like you have done all the groundwork ;) I do love you guys though, I wouldn't have the quality of life I enjoy if it wasn't for you nuts. I support innovation and people with the spunk to jump in first, I am just wary of hype and lack of critical thinking in general...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top