[Rumor]

Found this at /. What raises my eyebrows is the third layer being glass. Wouldn't it get stress cracks relatively quickly? Regardless, the idea is very interesting.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/0...nding?from=rss

[turtle777]

Yeah, looking at how streets get torn up each year by trucks, freezing water and snow, I don't see how those panels will last long.

-t

[Rumor]

I somewhat have the same response. I suppose that glass wouldn't have the loose parts that asphalt has though. Then again, neither area is my speciality.

[turtle777]

The main question is: will this investment break even before it's damaged too much to be functional.

Given that solar panels needed many many years of run time before the break even was reached, I'm somewhat skeptical that this would make sense from an economical perspective.

-t

[Phileas]

The road surface is self heating, so snow accumulation is not an issue. The cost of building it seems comparable to the kind of roads we have now, so that appears to be not an issue either.

And glass doesn't mean window pane glass - the glass used in these applications is far closer to the kind of ceramics we're using in, for example, the space shuttle than it is to the stuff you find in your home..

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

The main question is: will this investment break even before it's damaged too much to be functional.

Given that solar panels needed many many years of run time before the break even was reached, I'm somewhat skeptical that this would make sense from an economical perspective.

The /. comments mention that it would probably be complete nonsense to have even *considered* monocrystalline cells, which are the "conventional" solar cells you think of on roofs.

There are far cheaper, newer types of cells, that go for surface area and ruggedness over efficiency.

Also, some background:

FAQ

The Numbers

[pooka]

Given the massive amount of money wasted on completely STUPID ****, this is actually pretty f'n cool. Hell, even if they were able to install it on the shoulder of interstates or in parking lots it would be incredible.

[starman]

*FINALLY* someone with a brain is considering self-heating roads for the winter.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Yeah, looking at how streets get torn up each year by trucks, freezing water and snow, I don't see how those panels will last long.

-t

I agree about the trucks, but the solar roads are heated.

Edit: Nevermind.

[The Godfather]

If sunlight doesn't have enough W/m2 to melt the snow, it won't be possible for a solar-powered heater to melt the same snow, batteries or not.

I don't believe for one second that they are going to match the price and performance of asphalt roads with exotic glass materials. The DoT doesn't believe it either, which is why they only got 100k.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

If sunlight doesn't have enough W/m2 to melt the snow, it won't be possible for a solar-powered heater to melt the same snow, batteries or not.

But the reflectivity of the snow means that very little of that energy is absorbed. Most of it is reflected elsewhere.

[Spheric Harlot]

Yes, that was the point of his post.

The energy will be reflected and NOT go into the power collectors, and thus NOT heat the road.

[CharlesS]

Unless the heating element is already engaged before the snow falls on the road, thus causing it to melt on contact and never end up covering the road with its sunlight-reflecting self.

(Not saying this would or wouldn't work, because i frankly have no idea. Just sayin')

[nonhuman]

Sweet, was actually able to find this Popular Mechanics article I read over 10 years ago about building bridges and roads out of glass. The internet is awesome.

Glass Bridges - Popular Mechanics

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally Posted by CharlesS 

Unless the heating element is already engaged before the snow falls on the road, thus causing it to melt on contact and never end up covering the road with its sunlight-reflecting self.

(Not saying this would or wouldn't work, because i frankly have no idea. Just sayin')

Yeah, I was going to add the same comment, BUT I scrapped it when it occurred to me that every single Canadian, Midwesterner, and Alaskan on the boards would have ragged me for being a temperate-climate-coddled ignorant without the slightest clue of what REAL SNOW is.

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

Yeah, I was going to add the same comment, BUT I scrapped it when it occurred to me that every single Canadian, Midwesterner, and Alaskan on the boards would have ragged me for being a temperate-climate-coddled ignorant without the slightest clue of what REAL SNOW is.

Um, I'm one of those (Midwesterner). We do have seasons over here too... sometimes it even gets pretty damn hot in the summer (like in the 32-38° C range, or even hotter some years). It's not Antarctica, for God's sake - the landscape isn't snow-covered all year round, even in Alaska (or at least, the parts people actually live in). It's perfectly possible to start heating something before snow starts falling on it.

[Spheric Harlot]

I was thinking *WHUMP* three feet of snow.

Good luck pre-heating.


Edit: ironic that i get schooled for mentioning that I DIDN'T make a comment for fear of getting schooled.

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

I was thinking *WHUMP* three feet of snow.

So snow doesn't come in individual flakes where you come from? The entire layer just falls out of the sky all at once? Wow, I'd be nervous venturing out of the house if I had to worry about spontaneously getting clobbered on the head by a three-foot layer of snow.

[Spheric Harlot]

I believe there are places where snow does, in fact, not come in individual flakes but in wholesale amount of flakes that will easily amount to several feet in a very short time, aka "whump".

You're gonna need self-SHOVELING, not self-heating roads.

[Laminar]

I thought the emoticon made it obvious.

[Spheric Harlot]

Sorry Lam, already edited for less stupid.

(them smilies sure is TINY on this here iPhone screen)

[CharlesS]

I kinda want to know what your original post said now.

[Arty50]

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot 

I believe there are places where snow does, in fact, not come in individual flakes but in wholesale amount of flakes that will easily amount to several feet in a very short time, aka "whump".

You're gonna need self-SHOVELING, not self-heating roads.

Exactly. A friend of mine in Tahoe just installed a self heating driveway. However, he will be keeping his blower. For big storms, the heating elements get easily overwhelmed. Basically, the heating elements work just well enough to melt that last little bit of snow you can't shovel/blow and thus prevent a layer of ice from forming. They also work for smaller storms. But when you get a big dump, you still need a shovel/blower. Or in the case of highways...plows and chains, both of which aren't kind to the road surface.

[Eriamjh]

Asphalt roads don't last three years. Solar roads is just silly.