Over
the past several years there have been a number of mainstream media
reports hyping the potential for solar roads. These roadways are
intended to have solar panels embedded within them that can generate
electricity to power lighting and heating systems (also placed within
the road surface), as well as send any surplus energy to the electrical
grid. The DOE has invested at least $850,000 since 2009 into a firm called Solar Roadways to pursue this concept. But before anyone gets too excited, these proposals need some rigorous examination.
We'll start with the price tag. The estimated cost of such solar roadways is U.S. $4.4 million per mile (although it is not clear how accurate this value is). In 2009, the United States had a total public road length of 4,050,717 miles. This translates into an estimated solar road infrastructure cost of $18 trillion, or about 125% of the United States' current annual gross domestic product.
To this author, there are a number of basic pass-fail tests such concepts should be exposed to before solar roads are given any serious consideration (or receive additional public funding).
We'll start with the price tag. The estimated cost of such solar roadways is U.S. $4.4 million per mile (although it is not clear how accurate this value is). In 2009, the United States had a total public road length of 4,050,717 miles. This translates into an estimated solar road infrastructure cost of $18 trillion, or about 125% of the United States' current annual gross domestic product.
To this author, there are a number of basic pass-fail tests such concepts should be exposed to before solar roads are given any serious consideration (or receive additional public funding).
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