Solar Highways
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Re: Solar Highways
Occasionally a tire and rim will fall off of or be torn from the vehicle it was attached to. When this happens the concrete gets torn up pretty bad.
Just saying...
Just saying...
Re: Solar Highways
Two words... snow plow.
I know we don't have too many (relatively) in Texas, but they're like cockroaches up north.
I know we don't have too many (relatively) in Texas, but they're like cockroaches up north.
Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. - John Adams
Re: Solar Highways
I think this idea might be great to try to figure out in another 30+ years. Right now however I think it's a waste of time. Why not work with what we have now. They showed all of the heatwaves on the asphalt, why not utilize that to make energy. Heat water to make steam? Heat air and use the thermal drafts to turn turbines and make electricity. Why try to think so far out of the box that the solution will be 20-30+ years into the future. Don't get me wrong, It's great to dream, and eventually some of those dreams will become reality. In terms of "Green" thinking, we need ANSWERS now. Anyone can grasp at straws for the next "Space Age" advancement of mankind.
Solar roads, solar cars (didn't we already do that?... How did that work out by the way?... That was dropped like a hot potato... makes you wonder), using wave energy to propel ships, fully electric cars (GM recalled all of them as soon as they started to prove their worth... hmmm), what about the guy that turned salt water into a flame 3 times hotter than the sun with muffin tins and a microwave (if I recall correctly), the list goes on and on. Even if they do figure it out, it is likely to be suppressed. It also makes one wonder why they don't EVER try something that doesn't involve a lot of time to fruition.
Wouldn't it be easier to make shingles, windows, street signs, anything that doesn't have to take a heavy weight load, into solar panels? Work on a LCD solar panel that can be mostly transparent. See I can do it to! Anyone can shoot a random idea out there, but why not something tangible to get the process started with technology that already exists. For Example... I can't fix my cars ignition problem TODAY by inventing an ignition system that will operate solely off of radioactive moon dust. I give these guys credit for trying, just seems a little far off to make a difference.Sorry for the rant, but I hear this stuff from people I work with all the time. IMHO, and it is just my opinion, Sometimes thinking in the now is the only way to make anything work. I'm not trying to personally attack anyone's opinion on this subject, I'm just trying to point out the flaws I see in the idea.
OK I feel better now... Carry on
Solar roads, solar cars (didn't we already do that?... How did that work out by the way?... That was dropped like a hot potato... makes you wonder), using wave energy to propel ships, fully electric cars (GM recalled all of them as soon as they started to prove their worth... hmmm), what about the guy that turned salt water into a flame 3 times hotter than the sun with muffin tins and a microwave (if I recall correctly), the list goes on and on. Even if they do figure it out, it is likely to be suppressed. It also makes one wonder why they don't EVER try something that doesn't involve a lot of time to fruition.
Wouldn't it be easier to make shingles, windows, street signs, anything that doesn't have to take a heavy weight load, into solar panels? Work on a LCD solar panel that can be mostly transparent. See I can do it to! Anyone can shoot a random idea out there, but why not something tangible to get the process started with technology that already exists. For Example... I can't fix my cars ignition problem TODAY by inventing an ignition system that will operate solely off of radioactive moon dust. I give these guys credit for trying, just seems a little far off to make a difference.Sorry for the rant, but I hear this stuff from people I work with all the time. IMHO, and it is just my opinion, Sometimes thinking in the now is the only way to make anything work. I'm not trying to personally attack anyone's opinion on this subject, I'm just trying to point out the flaws I see in the idea.
OK I feel better now... Carry on

Last edited by NOS on Thu Sep 16, 2010 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Solar Highways
The two aren't mutually exclusive. This is just one guy looking at one idea. It doesn't mean somebody else somewhere is looking at other solutions. If this solution really could work (and thats a big IF) and it will take 30 years to develop, we have to start sometime. If nobody every smoked a pork butt because it takes all night to cook ...NOS wrote:I think this idea might be great to try to figure out in another 30+ years. Right now however I think it's a waste of time. Why not work with what we have now. They showed all of the heatwaves on the asphalt, why not utilize that to make energy. Heat water to make steam? Heat air and use the thermal drafts to turn turbines and make elecrticity. Why try to think so far out of the box that the solution will be 20-30+ years into the future. Don't get me wrong, It's great to dream, and eventually some of those dreams will become reality. In terms of "Green" thinking, we need ANSWERS now. Anyone can grasp at straws for the next "Space Age" advancement of mankind.
Solar roads, solar cars (didn't we already do that?... How did that work out by the way?... That was dropped like a hot potato... makes you wonder), using wave energy to propel ships, fully electric cars (GM recalled all of them as soon as they started to prove their worth... hmmm), what about the guy that turned slat water into a flame 3 times hotter than the sun with muffin tins and a microwave (if I recall correctly), the list goes on and on. Even if they do figure it out, it is likely to be suppressed. It also makes one wonder why they don't EVER try something that doesn't involve a lot of time to fruition.
Wouldn't it be easier to make shingles, windows, street signs, anything that doesn't have to take a heavy weight load, into solar panels? Work on a LCD solar panel that can be mostly transparent. See I can do it to! Anyone can shoot a random idea out there, but why not something tangible to get the process started with technology that already exists. For Example... I can't fix my cars ignition problem TODAY by inventing an ignition system that will operate solely off of radioactive moon dust. I give these guys credit for trying, just seems a little far off to make a difference.Sorry for the rant, but I hear this stuff from people I work with all the time. IMHO, and it is just my opinion, Sometimes thinking in the now is the only way to make anything work. I'm not trying to personally attack anyone's opinion on this subject, I'm just trying to point out the flaws I see in the idea.
OK I feel better now... Carry on
So I say if it has a chance - let him work on it and let other people work on shorter term solutions.
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Re: Solar Highways
terryg wrote:The two aren't mutually exclusive. This is just one guy looking at one idea. It doesn't mean somebody else somewhere is looking at other solutions. If this solution really could work (and thats a big IF) and it will take 30 years to develop, we have to start sometime. If nobody every smoked a pork butt because it takes all night to cook ...NOS wrote:I think this idea might be great to try to figure out in another 30+ years. Right now however I think it's a waste of time. Why not work with what we have now. They showed all of the heatwaves on the asphalt, why not utilize that to make energy. Heat water to make steam? Heat air and use the thermal drafts to turn turbines and make elecrticity. Why try to think so far out of the box that the solution will be 20-30+ years into the future. Don't get me wrong, It's great to dream, and eventually some of those dreams will become reality. In terms of "Green" thinking, we need ANSWERS now. Anyone can grasp at straws for the next "Space Age" advancement of mankind.
Solar roads, solar cars (didn't we already do that?... How did that work out by the way?... That was dropped like a hot potato... makes you wonder), using wave energy to propel ships, fully electric cars (GM recalled all of them as soon as they started to prove their worth... hmmm), what about the guy that turned slat water into a flame 3 times hotter than the sun with muffin tins and a microwave (if I recall correctly), the list goes on and on. Even if they do figure it out, it is likely to be suppressed. It also makes one wonder why they don't EVER try something that doesn't involve a lot of time to fruition.
Wouldn't it be easier to make shingles, windows, street signs, anything that doesn't have to take a heavy weight load, into solar panels? Work on a LCD solar panel that can be mostly transparent. See I can do it to! Anyone can shoot a random idea out there, but why not something tangible to get the process started with technology that already exists. For Example... I can't fix my cars ignition problem TODAY by inventing an ignition system that will operate solely off of radioactive moon dust. I give these guys credit for trying, just seems a little far off to make a difference.Sorry for the rant, but I hear this stuff from people I work with all the time. IMHO, and it is just my opinion, Sometimes thinking in the now is the only way to make anything work. I'm not trying to personally attack anyone's opinion on this subject, I'm just trying to point out the flaws I see in the idea.
OK I feel better now... Carry on
So I say if it has a chance - let him work on it and let other people work on shorter term solutions.

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- flb_78
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Re: Solar Highways
\NOS wrote:I think this idea might be great to try to figure out in another 30+ years. Right now however I think it's a waste of time. Why not work with what we have now. They showed all of the heatwaves on the asphalt, why not utilize that to make energy. Heat water to make steam? Heat air and use the thermal drafts to turn turbines and make electricity. Why try to think so far out of the box that the solution will be 20-30+ years into the future. Don't get me wrong, It's great to dream, and eventually some of those dreams will become reality. In terms of "Green" thinking, we need ANSWERS now. Anyone can grasp at straws for the next "Space Age" advancement of mankind.
Solar roads, solar cars (didn't we already do that?... How did that work out by the way?... That was dropped like a hot potato... makes you wonder), using wave energy to propel ships, fully electric cars (GM recalled all of them as soon as they started to prove their worth... hmmm), what about the guy that turned salt water into a flame 3 times hotter than the sun with muffin tins and a microwave (if I recall correctly), the list goes on and on. Even if they do figure it out, it is likely to be suppressed. It also makes one wonder why they don't EVER try something that doesn't involve a lot of time to fruition.
Wouldn't it be easier to make shingles, windows, street signs, anything that doesn't have to take a heavy weight load, into solar panels? Work on a LCD solar panel that can be mostly transparent. See I can do it to! Anyone can shoot a random idea out there, but why not something tangible to get the process started with technology that already exists. For Example... I can't fix my cars ignition problem TODAY by inventing an ignition system that will operate solely off of radioactive moon dust. I give these guys credit for trying, just seems a little far off to make a difference.Sorry for the rant, but I hear this stuff from people I work with all the time. IMHO, and it is just my opinion, Sometimes thinking in the now is the only way to make anything work. I'm not trying to personally attack anyone's opinion on this subject, I'm just trying to point out the flaws I see in the idea.
OK I feel better now... Carry on
Because the crazier the idea, the more Federal Funding they get so they don't have to get real jobs while they play enviro-hippie in Idaho.
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Re: Solar Highways
Yeah, why DID those get put up? Who did it? What's the point?flb_78 wrote:It's already a problem along the highways.The Annoyed Man wrote:And for anyone who gets ejected onto such a surface, or knocked off a motorcycle onto it, they might just as well slide down a razor-blade bannister.
(Now try and get that thought out of your head!)
Re: Solar Highways
Sure. Part of that is probably because the less 'Star Wars' the idea is, the less interesting the media story will be about it. If someone is working on a way to make road grade concrete out of grass clippings for dirt cheap - that doesn't sound nearly as cool in a news story as glass highways with flashing lights below it.NOS wrote:with you on that. My point was more on the fact that we never hear of any real short term solutions. It only seems to revolve around the pie in the sky guy that is working on something in the basement that should be a viable resource in 30 years. I am not trying to condemn these folks for trying to make a difference. I'm just saying that you never hear about anyone trying to come up with a now type solution.
And that is likely the other part ...flb_78 wrote:Because the crazier the idea, the more Federal Funding they get so they don't have to get real jobs while they play enviro-hippie in Idaho.
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- UpTheIrons
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Re: Solar Highways
Those are barricades that keep head-ons from happening on the freeway. The car leaves the road, enters the median, and gets 'hung up' in the cables.jordanmills wrote:Yeah, why DID those get put up? Who did it? What's the point?flb_78 wrote:It's already a problem along the highways.The Annoyed Man wrote:And for anyone who gets ejected onto such a surface, or knocked off a motorcycle onto it, they might just as well slide down a razor-blade bannister.
(Now try and get that thought out of your head!)
I've seen them work really well along I-10 between Flatonia and Comfort. A couple years ago, a horse trailer (on it's roof) came all the way across the median and the hitch stopped about 1 foot across the yellow line of the left lane in front of me. Luckily, it was a couple of hundred yards away, so I had time to avoid it. Since then, the barricades have been installed and I've seen cars come across and get into the cables and stop on the spot.
They even work on semi trucks, to a point.
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Re: Solar Highways
All valid points guys.
This particular idea is a bit grandiose. But that is good old fashioned Americana.
I'm a bit of a greenie-wienie myself.
I don't believe in mandating green technology. But I'm very happy that there are people trying to come up with Green solutions.
I would love to add a solar panel or vertical wind turbine to my house, I just can't afford it yet.
(someone mentioned solar roof tiles, I do know the technology is there, just not sure if it is available yet for public consumption.)
I hear we have about 300 to 500 years left of oil, in the US alone. But it will run out one day.
We do need to start looking ahead now, while we still have plenty of time to work out the bugs (snowplows and flat tires).


This particular idea is a bit grandiose. But that is good old fashioned Americana.
I'm a bit of a greenie-wienie myself.
I don't believe in mandating green technology. But I'm very happy that there are people trying to come up with Green solutions.
I would love to add a solar panel or vertical wind turbine to my house, I just can't afford it yet.
(someone mentioned solar roof tiles, I do know the technology is there, just not sure if it is available yet for public consumption.)
I hear we have about 300 to 500 years left of oil, in the US alone. But it will run out one day.
We do need to start looking ahead now, while we still have plenty of time to work out the bugs (snowplows and flat tires).

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Re: Solar Highways
You mean like these guys?NOS wrote:terryg wrote:The two aren't mutually exclusive. This is just one guy looking at one idea. It doesn't mean somebody else somewhere is looking at other solutions. If this solution really could work (and thats a big IF) and it will take 30 years to develop, we have to start sometime. If nobody every smoked a pork butt because it takes all night to cook ...NOS wrote:I think this idea might be great to try to figure out in another 30+ years. Right now however I think it's a waste of time. Why not work with what we have now. They showed all of the heatwaves on the asphalt, why not utilize that to make energy. Heat water to make steam? Heat air and use the thermal drafts to turn turbines and make elecrticity. Why try to think so far out of the box that the solution will be 20-30+ years into the future. Don't get me wrong, It's great to dream, and eventually some of those dreams will become reality. In terms of "Green" thinking, we need ANSWERS now. Anyone can grasp at straws for the next "Space Age" advancement of mankind.
Solar roads, solar cars (didn't we already do that?... How did that work out by the way?... That was dropped like a hot potato... makes you wonder), using wave energy to propel ships, fully electric cars (GM recalled all of them as soon as they started to prove their worth... hmmm), what about the guy that turned slat water into a flame 3 times hotter than the sun with muffin tins and a microwave (if I recall correctly), the list goes on and on. Even if they do figure it out, it is likely to be suppressed. It also makes one wonder why they don't EVER try something that doesn't involve a lot of time to fruition.
Wouldn't it be easier to make shingles, windows, street signs, anything that doesn't have to take a heavy weight load, into solar panels? Work on a LCD solar panel that can be mostly transparent. See I can do it to! Anyone can shoot a random idea out there, but why not something tangible to get the process started with technology that already exists. For Example... I can't fix my cars ignition problem TODAY by inventing an ignition system that will operate solely off of radioactive moon dust. I give these guys credit for trying, just seems a little far off to make a difference.Sorry for the rant, but I hear this stuff from people I work with all the time. IMHO, and it is just my opinion, Sometimes thinking in the now is the only way to make anything work. I'm not trying to personally attack anyone's opinion on this subject, I'm just trying to point out the flaws I see in the idea.
OK I feel better now... Carry on
So I say if it has a chance - let him work on it and let other people work on shorter term solutions.with you on that. My point was more on the fact that we never hear of any real short term solutions. It only seems to revolve around the pie in the sky guy that is working on something in the basement that should be a viable resource in 30 years. I am not trying to condemn these folks for trying to make a difference. I'm just saying that you never hear about anyone trying to come up with a now type solution.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=k5SxX2EntEo[/youtube]
Design is an interesting field. It doesn't matter if you work in fashion design or road design. They way they work is by putting crazy outlandish ideas out on the runway--the what-if. Then the engineers take those what-ifs and turn them into what-nows of present-day application. The what-nows are what the majority of the world is dealing in (stronger concrete, harder steel, etc) and because it is so common, it isn't usually news-worthy. Interesting work nonetheless.
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reformers in the morning, conservers at night. - Ralph Waldo Emerson