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The "1000 km" title is misleading. The tiles will be mostly installed on parking space near commercial centers and on a few low-speed connecting roads. I find

by pi-err 11y ago

The "1000 km" title is misleading. The tiles will be mostly installed on parking space near commercial centers and on a few low-speed connecting roads. I find it actually a great idea, especially with more electrical cars looking for plugs at those locations. Some details and a video on https://www.aruco.com/2016/01/1000km-routes-solaires-france/ https://www.aruco.com/2016/01/1000km-routes-solaires-france/ . The video does show how they think of it for side roads (and don't say it because PR). edit: also part of the breakthrough here is that the upper layer is made of recycled glass and resin and is not slippery. Bit surprised by the negativity around this on HN.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
ukandy 11y ago
> The tiles will be mostly installed on parking space near commercial centers.. What would possible block the sun from reaching these solar cells... > I find it actually a great idea, especially with more electrical cars looking for plugs at those locations. Oh yeah.
- pi-err 11y ago
  Their PR is unfortunately low quality and low on facts, though critical thinking would also try to look at the "why". The futur or "solar roads" is clearly not highways and express lanes. It's slow speed, commercial areas - as badly presented by Colas. For the context, land use in Europe is so different than in the US. Suburbs don't crawl as much and space is more of a premium. Thinking at a really local level, for a new retail space like this: https://goo.gl/maps/BRkQ5qNyaQU2 https://goo.gl/maps/BRkQ5qNyaQU2 - the fields around the center are either here to stay or would be built on. About 80% of this commercial space is parking lots. It's wasted space. Why not use it to produce power? Why use additional fertile or constructible terrain to add solar tiles? Since 2015, businesses in France also have to build either gardens or solar panels on their rooftops (new constructions and redevelopments). So that's turning 90% of space used into something productive or "user-friendly". Again why not do it? The pricing of those solar tiles is interesting: 6 euros per max watt produced on location. Cheap enough - and you get free power for parking users. It's also great PR for solar to get inserted in people's lives at such locations.
  - JoeAltmaier 11y ago
    'Solar roads' clearly have no future, as they are a preposterous idea put forth by nobody with any idea about how solar works.
  - petra 11y ago
    Its pretty easy to use parking spaces with solar , no need for solar roadways.
  - ukandy 11y ago
    > About 80% of this commercial space is parking lots. It's wasted space. Why not use it to produce power? You didn't get my point obviously. Parking spaces are to park on. When a car is on a parking space, it's blocking the light from tiles under it and also casting a shadow. > Why use additional fertile or constructible terrain to add solar tiles? Because they won't have cars park on them. They will also be at an optimal angle and cleaner.
    - paulddraper 11y ago
      I also wouldn't recommend fertilizing your solar cells.
    - KevinBongart 11y ago
      On a parking lot, not 100% is used by cars. Lots of space for driving/walking through and around. The example above show the paring lot partially full with a lot of space for solar panel roads: https://goo.gl/maps/ZR5kNMZYGbE2 https://goo.gl/maps/ZR5kNMZYGbE2 Also, in France, we're limited in farming space. Sure, it's going to go away eventually, while we outsource farming elsewhere, but replacing fields with solar panels is not as obvious of a tradeoff as it could be elsewhere in the world.
      - ukandy 11y ago
        Why would you put them in the car park and not on the roof where they can be angled and unobstructed, with no new engineering challenges. Sheep can still graze under the panels on farmland. Not that I'm advocating, farming sheep or using green fields for solar panels!
- rconti 11y ago
  Or they could COVER the parking lot with these panels, which would not only generate more electricity, but would also be far more durable, provide shade/cover, and reduce the need for air conditioning systems to be run when because you'll no longer be climbing into a hot car.
notatoad 11y ago
putting solar panels under the cars in parking lots seems like possibly the silliest thing ever - not only does it block the light from getting to the solar panels, but covered parking is desirable - if they just put the panels above the cars they would get more light and the cars and people would have some protection from the weather.
- ukandy 11y ago
  Sheltered cycleways would be the most green idea.
cellularmitosis 11y ago
Do a search on YouTube for "EEVBlog solar roadways". Solar roads are a great way to get people excited about solar, and a terrible way to produce electricity.
cyphar 11y ago
> edit: also part of the breakthrough here is that the upper layer is made of recycled glass and resin and is not slippery. I personally doubt this will solve the softness issues (it will wear down quickly). But if it's not being used on highways, the wearing isn't as serious of an issue. I still think just building a solar farm is a much better idea. > Bit surprised by the negativity around this on HN. The "solar freaking roadways" people just pissed me off so much with their dumb crap. Not to mention that so many politicians took them seriously, lording them as an example of innovation. As a result, myself (and probably quite a few other people on HN) have built up a massive amount of skepticism when people talk about ideas like this, because we know they're a bad idea and wish people would stop pushing it.

by pi-err 11y ago

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

ukandy 11y ago

> The tiles will be mostly installed on parking space near commercial centers.. What would possible block the sun from reaching these solar cells... > I find it actually a great idea, especially with more electrical cars looking for plugs at those locations. Oh yeah.

pi-err 11y ago
Their PR is unfortunately low quality and low on facts, though critical thinking would also try to look at the "why". The futur or "solar roads" is clearly not highways and express lanes. It's slow speed, commercial areas - as badly presented by Colas. For the context, land use in Europe is so different than in the US. Suburbs don't crawl as much and space is more of a premium. Thinking at a really local level, for a new retail space like this: https://goo.gl/maps/BRkQ5qNyaQU2 https://goo.gl/maps/BRkQ5qNyaQU2 - the fields around the center are either here to stay or would be built on. About 80% of this commercial space is parking lots. It's wasted space. Why not use it to produce power? Why use additional fertile or constructible terrain to add solar tiles? Since 2015, businesses in France also have to build either gardens or solar panels on their rooftops (new constructions and redevelopments). So that's turning 90% of space used into something productive or "user-friendly". Again why not do it? The pricing of those solar tiles is interesting: 6 euros per max watt produced on location. Cheap enough - and you get free power for parking users. It's also great PR for solar to get inserted in people's lives at such locations.
- JoeAltmaier 11y ago
  'Solar roads' clearly have no future, as they are a preposterous idea put forth by nobody with any idea about how solar works.
- petra 11y ago
  Its pretty easy to use parking spaces with solar , no need for solar roadways.
- ukandy 11y ago
  > About 80% of this commercial space is parking lots. It's wasted space. Why not use it to produce power? You didn't get my point obviously. Parking spaces are to park on. When a car is on a parking space, it's blocking the light from tiles under it and also casting a shadow. > Why use additional fertile or constructible terrain to add solar tiles? Because they won't have cars park on them. They will also be at an optimal angle and cleaner.
  - paulddraper 11y ago
    I also wouldn't recommend fertilizing your solar cells.
  - KevinBongart 11y ago
    On a parking lot, not 100% is used by cars. Lots of space for driving/walking through and around. The example above show the paring lot partially full with a lot of space for solar panel roads: https://goo.gl/maps/ZR5kNMZYGbE2 https://goo.gl/maps/ZR5kNMZYGbE2 Also, in France, we're limited in farming space. Sure, it's going to go away eventually, while we outsource farming elsewhere, but replacing fields with solar panels is not as obvious of a tradeoff as it could be elsewhere in the world.
    - ukandy 11y ago
      Why would you put them in the car park and not on the roof where they can be angled and unobstructed, with no new engineering challenges. Sheep can still graze under the panels on farmland. Not that I'm advocating, farming sheep or using green fields for solar panels!
rconti 11y ago
Or they could COVER the parking lot with these panels, which would not only generate more electricity, but would also be far more durable, provide shade/cover, and reduce the need for air conditioning systems to be run when because you'll no longer be climbing into a hot car.

notatoad 11y ago

putting solar panels under the cars in parking lots seems like possibly the silliest thing ever - not only does it block the light from getting to the solar panels, but covered parking is desirable - if they just put the panels above the cars they would get more light and the cars and people would have some protection from the weather.

ukandy 11y ago
Sheltered cycleways would be the most green idea.

cellularmitosis 11y ago

Do a search on YouTube for "EEVBlog solar roadways". Solar roads are a great way to get people excited about solar, and a terrible way to produce electricity.

cyphar 11y ago

> edit: also part of the breakthrough here is that the upper layer is made of recycled glass and resin and is not slippery. I personally doubt this will solve the softness issues (it will wear down quickly). But if it's not being used on highways, the wearing isn't as serious of an issue. I still think just building a solar farm is a much better idea. > Bit surprised by the negativity around this on HN. The "solar freaking roadways" people just pissed me off so much with their dumb crap. Not to mention that so many politicians took them seriously, lording them as an example of innovation. As a result, myself (and probably quite a few other people on HN) have built up a massive amount of skepticism when people talk about ideas like this, because we know they're a bad idea and wish people would stop pushing it.