Review - Solar Roof on Roads with Advertisements

[SunEagle]

As Ads will be on side of roads, it'll make roads more happening, & those ads can also be placed at some height on roads, to get the nature view while driving along the road,


As panels will be fitted at certain angle, so less or no snow will be accumulated on those panels, which i think is not a big issue, as compared to removing snow which covers the entire road.

You first have to get someone to purchase the advertisement to install those signs which a lot of people do not like to see while driving in the country.

And unless the angle of those panels are very steep, snow will accumulate on them if it is wet which would still require someone or something to remove it to get the power generation going again.

I don't believe this is financially reasonable in the Northern latitudes with low insulation hours and snow. Maybe in the sunny Southern desert areas but certainly not in any area with the high potential for shade or any type of sun blockage.

[erashish14]

That would be making the assumption that people would be ok driving for miles under a roof and not see the country side. As well as getting the backing for all of the land owners along the roadway

As Ads will be on side of roads, it'll make roads more happening, & those ads can also be placed at some height on roads, to get the nature view while driving along the road,

Also while they may not need salt for the roads who will move all that snow that accumulates on those panels?

As panels will be fitted at certain angle, so less or no snow will be accumulated on those panels, which i think is not a big issue, as compared to removing snow which covers the entire road.

[SunEagle]

I'm not assuming that at all.

There's a restaurant down here on the water that has a 40kW array as a shade structure for the deck. They used the Lumos two-sided glass panels so there was still some light coming through. People go there _for_ the view.

Yep. Which is why this is best done in rural areas, where power is distributed at higher voltages and few neighbors care what the road looks like.

You might be right and that type of installation would be accepted. I actually like those systems that cover parking spaces. It shades the cars yet can produce power for the building or even provide EV charging.

Unfortunately from what I have read and heard about what a lot of people think about RE it seems to be a hard sell for anyone that pays very little for their electric power.

[jflorey2]

That would be making the assumption that people would be ok driving for miles under a roof and not see the country side.

I'm not assuming that at all.

There's a restaurant down here on the water that has a 40kW array as a shade structure for the deck. They used the Lumos two-sided glass panels so there was still some light coming through. People go there _for_ the view.

As well as getting the backing for all of the land owners along the roadway.

Yep. Which is why this is best done in rural areas, where power is distributed at higher voltages and few neighbors care what the road looks like.

[SunEagle]

Definitely agreed there. It also adds more unreliable generation to the grid, and we know that POCO's are currently struggling to integrate the large amounts of solar coming on-line even without their own large projects.

The upside to the state would be reduced road maintenance, reduced salt usage and increased driver safety.

That would be making the assumption that people would be ok driving for miles under a roof and not see the country side. As well as getting the backing for all of the land owners along the roadway. Also while they may not need salt for the roads who will move all that snow that accumulates on those panels?

Heck some states can even get the people to agree to using farmland for solar arrays or mountain tops for wind turbines. Even the off shore wind farms have had a major up hill battle getting approved due to the "not in my back yard" attitude of the locals.

I am sure getting approval for roads covered with solar panels will be a slam dunk especially out in the countryside or rural areas that just love seeing technology near their homes.

[jflorey2]

I would say that both you and I do not have all the data which can be used to calculate the true costs to install and maintain a system as you describe. What might make sense to you may not be financially viable.

Definitely agreed there. It also adds more unreliable generation to the grid, and we know that POCO's are currently struggling to integrate the large amounts of solar coming on-line even without their own large projects.

Remember the POCO does not own the roadway, they may lease a section to run their power lines but the real estate and road belongs to the State/County/Municipality/fill in the blank.

The upside to the state would be reduced road maintenance, reduced salt usage and increased driver safety.

[SunEagle]

Right, but rural systems typically run at higher distribution voltages (35kV or so.) due to greater distances involved - and rural roads would be a primary target for such projects. And the loads will be distributed as well, so the end of the power line run need only carry the worst case difference between generation and load.

In large systems like this it would make more economic sense for the inverters to drive to the distribution voltage (~35kV) rather than end customer voltages (240/480V.)

Maybe. If what you said is true then the POCO's would be jumping through the flaming hoops to build that type of system.

I would say that both you and I do not have all the data which can be used to calculate the true costs to install and maintain a system as you describe. What might make sense to you may not be financially viable.

Remember the POCO does not own the roadway, they may lease a section to run their power lines but the real estate and road belongs to the State/County/Municipality/fill in the blank.

[jflorey2]

Those short pole grid systems are at a voltage that is maybe in the 15kv range while a HV transmission is closer to 600kv.

Right, but rural systems typically run at higher distribution voltages (35kV or so.) due to greater distances involved - and rural roads would be a primary target for such projects. And the loads will be distributed as well, so the end of the power line run need only carry the worst case difference between generation and load.

In large systems like this it would make more economic sense for the inverters to drive to the distribution voltage (~35kV) rather than end customer voltages (240/480V.)

[SunEagle]

These Panels will be at Top of the road, so opportune angle available for these panels will be 360 degree, you can place it at any angle to get maximum output & chances of shades are nil,

Initial cost may be high but that too is covered via Advertisements.

You would also have to reinforce all of that racking system so the panels could handle the local wind loads and not fly off.

The idea to use the "right of way" to install solar pv sounds like a good idea and may be sometime in the future. As of now there are a lot easier (and lower cost) places to install solar pv that will be first in line. Maybe if some areas run out of usable "space" then the roadway "right of way" might be the best place to install pv.

[erashish14]

If a solar panel is not facing the sun at the most opportune angle it does not generate anywhere close to it's name plate wattage rating. Add in shade or anything else that reduces the amount of usable sunlight getting to the panel and the production % can drop to 0. Installing equipment to point the panel at the sun is very expensive and makes the cost to generate power go up

These Panels will be at Top of the road, so opportune angle available for these panels will be 360 degree, you can place it at any angle to get maximum output & chances of shades are nil,

Initial cost may be high but that too is covered via Advertisements.

[SunEagle]

I'd call that an advantage. Roads go to towns, villages and cities, and many already have utilities strung along them. Compare that to a Southwest desert that needs a new transmission line put in.

Yeah but while that High Voltage transmission line takes up a lot of real estate it really only has a few transformers at each end and can handle a lot more power.

While a roadway system would require many more transformers and gear to connect them together. It would also require much bigger cables to handle the kind of power being generated then what is pushed through those wires you currently see along a road way.

Those short pole grid systems are at a voltage that is maybe in the 15kv range while a HV transmission is closer to 600kv. You can run a lot more power for much longer distanced with lower losses using the 600kv HV system then a 15kv medium voltage distribution system. It still would be very expensive to install and maintain along a road way.

[jflorey2]

And finally when you consider the length of the electrical system to move the power generated by these panels across miles of roadway can only increases the losses thru voltage drops as well as the costs for an installation like that.

I'd call that an advantage. Roads go to towns, villages and cities, and many already have utilities strung along them. Compare that to a Southwest desert that needs a new transmission line put in.

[SunEagle]

Hi,

Kindly let me know, the demerits or limitation of this thought !!!

If a solar panel is not facing the sun at the most opportune angle it does not generate anywhere close to it's name plate wattage rating. Add in shade or anything else that reduces the amount of usable sunlight getting to the panel and the production % can drop to 0. Installing equipment to point the panel at the sun is very expensive and makes the cost to generate power go up. And finally when you consider the length of the electrical system to move the power generated by these panels across miles of roadway can only increases the losses thru voltage drops as well as the costs for an installation like that.

Considering the cost of an Engineered array that can "tracks the sun" across the sky located in the South West desert of the US where there isn't any shade and it gets the best sunlight available will still be more expensive to generate electrical power then a natural gas fueled plant. That would make if very hard to justify installing panels along a road way.

[erashish14]

Hi,

Kindly let me know, the demerits or limitation of this thought !!!

[SunEagle]

Hi All,

Kindly check the thought & visit the blog Once, its not on roads, its about placing solar panel over/above/overhead roads (overcome shade & land issue) with advertisements at side of the road (overcome funds issue),

Kindly let me know, how much this will cost for placing solar panels above road of width (10 meter) & length (1KM).

lightenmyways[dot]blogspot[dot]com or google for "Solar Roof on Roads with Rain Water Harvesting System & Advertisements".

The cost would could vary greatly depending on the amount of road that is flat and straight or winding and hilly.

Solar panels generate their highest output when they are pointed directly at the sun with includes both the compass direction (South is best) and angle which also varies from Summer (lower angle) to Winter (higher angle) depending on how high the sun tracks across the sky.