EEVblog #935 - Solar Roadways Installation BUSTED!

It's finally here! The first Solar Roadways installation happened in Sandpoint Idaho after $3.9M in funding and 6.5 years of development. Does it work? Is it practical?
Once again, Dave runs the numbers...

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[tohopes]

You could fix the reflection issue by covering the tops of the panels with some asphalt.

[Thunderft]

so ~$4mn later and they have a roadway which you cant drive on, and where only 5 out of 30 'tiles' still have working solar cells, and those havent yet generated ANY power. Truly they are paving the way to the road of tomorrow!
GREATEST....

EVAAR!!!

[kporterdb]

Looks like it would be cheaper to build an inexpensive roof system over the roadway and install regular commercially available solar panels.

[RawbeardX]

You can't put solar panels on the roofs, how am I supposed to drive on them up there?

[SarahWattCA]

They made a rookie mistake in putting the panels in front of the toilets. Real pros would have put the panels in the toilets where they belong.

[TekkGnostic]

So basically $5 million for a really shitty LED installation.

[Graham_Langley]

So Dave, do I take it you're sceptical about their viability?

[ShadowHunter]

These people need to be charged with fraud and embezzlement, this is criminal plain and simple.

[smiechu]

Why was there no one at The Grand Opening to call out them on their bullshit?

[xl]

15:14 I love how the hexagonal design is just making things even more complicated by preventing the use of standard rectangular elements.. It's just an inefficient way to pack stuffs, even though the hex tiles themselves pack nicely..

[tt]

LMAO I can't believe they're still going.

[enhydralutra]

Welcome to Sandpoint, Idaho; the city of the future! Please remember to wear a respirator at all times. Driving is only allowed one hour after dusk to one hour before dawn. A permanent ban on watering the lawn has been implemented as the extra water is currently in use to clean the streets. Flashlights are required as our streets currently do not generate power. Please enjoy your stay.

[PlasmaHH]

It looks like they are evolving backwards, at least a while ago they had their tampered glass with bumpy surface... not that it would make any difference...

[wartoc]

They need to have a 24hour web cam in their shop to see what the hell they are doing with their time. You'd think as a demonstration they'd want to replace the defective panels to make sure they present the best example of their work. So far this would be like a like a home build showing off an open house that is still incomplete and falling down.

[pauldickhoff]

It's only 22 times the cost of a rooftop install, but about 500 times the cost of a conventional tarmac road, which America has trouble maintaining.

[LazerLord]

I need to make an EEVblog soundboard with that sound effect.
7:25

[depenthene]

That sheet on seams though. Like someone with blood alcohol content of 0.3% installed it. Nobody is worried about that installation with sharp ends of sheet metal that has been cut to sharp corners. Someone with flip flops/sandals or dogs could get injured, so it would seems to be public interest to do better job at installing those sheets. Better yet, forget sheet metal with sharp corners and edges and install some soft material seals between panels.

[danxepha]

Imagine the clean up and repair that would be needed if there was a high speed crash on a road made of these things? The road would be closed for days or even weeks.

[berenscott]

$2000 is because they aren't counting their own labour in the figure. They've striped the cost of wages clearly, because with all that funding, they are getting paid no matter how many they produce.

[robtoe]

4:08 - Curious about the traction claims, specifically "stop a vehicle going 80 mph, wet surface". One would think that wet glass, even textured glass, is at a disadvantage vs asphalt.