There’s a company in Sandpoint, ID that is developing solar panels made from glass to replace asphalt. It’s still in fairly early development, but it’s an interesting idea.
EEVBlog did the math about the thing and with our current (and predicted) tech it’s rubbish. There just isn’t enough power from it to gain much even if roads cover a lots of square meters and durability of currently available panels just isn’t there. It’s just bloody expensive road with miniscule amounts of power in exchange.
What’s that in the future? Silicon?
Metal rails
Charred bones.
There’s a company in Sandpoint, ID that is developing solar panels made from glass to replace asphalt. It’s still in fairly early development, but it’s an interesting idea.
EEVBlog did the math about the thing and with our current (and predicted) tech it’s rubbish. There just isn’t enough power from it to gain much even if roads cover a lots of square meters and durability of currently available panels just isn’t there. It’s just bloody expensive road with miniscule amounts of power in exchange.
It’s been tried and failed before
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/solar-roadways-engineering-failure
Doesn’t work. Keep the solar panels on roofs and over canals where they can get sun. Keep the roads simple stone so they are durable and cheap.
High tech Japanese superconducting MAGLEV trains (someday).
Most likely Chinese.