Netherlands unveils world's first solar bike lane

[Dubious]

Cycle path generates enough electricity for three households.

The world's first cycle lane made from solar cells produces enough energy to power three households.

Installed in Krommenie, 25 kilometres from Amsterdam, the pilot project is 70 metres long, and will be extended to 100 metres by 2016.

The bike path is made from rectangular concrete modules that contain solar cells, and is encased in a one-inch thick layer of glass strong enough to withstand a truck.

It is capable of producing enough energy to power three homes, though is 30% less efficient than roof-mounted solar panels, as these can be aligned to the sun.


Due to be officially launched on 12 November, the project has so far cost €1.5 million euros, though will ultimately cost up to €3 million once finalised.

Dr Sten de Wit from SolaRoad, the consortium behind the project, envisages that solar roads could eventually be used to power the electric vehicles that use them.

"Electric vehicles are on the rise, but are not really a substitute until the electricity they use is generated in a sustainable way. Roads can generate power right where it is needed," de Wit explains in a publication for the contract research organisation TNO.

"Sensors gathering information about traffic circulation can help improve traffic management, or even allow automatic vehicle guidance," de Wit added.

A couple in the United States is currently raising funds for a solar-powered road project. Julie and Scott Brusaw predict that if every US highway incorporated solar technology, the country would generate three times as much electricity as it currently consumes.

The catch? The technology is also three times more expensive to install.

Netherlands unveils world's first solar bike lane - Protection now - AXA - BBC

 

[Chronos]

The cost is what is keeping solar tech from being integrated more into the power grid.

For countries like India whose aim is to bring a lot of people without electricity, coal seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to go. As well as Nuclear.

Hopefully, in decades time the technology will improve.

 

[Donatello]

The cost is what is keeping solar tech from being integrated more into the power grid.

For countries like India whose aim is to bring a lot of people without electricity, coal seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to go. As well as Nuclear.

Hopefully, in decades time the technology will improve.

It's not the cost but the efficiency of the system. Solar is not available 24/7 and is at best 24-30% efficient. Plus, conversion from DC to Batteries to AC not simple as well to drive large industrial loads.

Since cheaper alternatives are available, Solar gets the back seat. Wind is better in that regard.

 

[mike2000]

Good initiative, buti dont think its economically feasible.

 

[Nefer]

The dutch public are quite puzzled why they took this initiative while we still have other more efficient alternatives...

However here is a video about that project, with english subtitles
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edit: for some reason I wrote dutch subtitles in stead of english

 

[Aepsilons]

The cost is what is keeping solar tech from being integrated more into the power grid.

For countries like India whose aim is to bring a lot of people without electricity, coal seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to go. As well as Nuclear.

Hopefully, in decades time the technology will improve.

Buddy @Ravi Nair ! How have you been man?

 

[Chronos]

Buddy @Ravi Nair ! How have you been man?

Oh man, I haven't seen you in a long time.

I will tag you in whatever thread and we will continue our conversation. Nice to see you buddy.

It's not the cost but the efficiency of the system. Solar is not available 24/7 and is at best 24-30% efficient. Plus, conversion from DC to Batteries to AC not simple as well to drive large industrial loads.

Since cheaper alternatives are available, Solar gets the back seat. Wind is better in that regard.

Thanks for the additional info.

I think Wind should not be relied too much also. It should be backed up by a portfolio of other energy sources. Tamil Nadu relied a bit too much on wind, and there are seasons where the wind is not strong enough so they had a shortage.

Plus, Solar panels require a lot of water and land to maintain too.

 

[Developereo]

Would it not make more sense to mount solar panels (almost) vertically, so they don't get covered up by dirt, leaves, snow, etc?

What's the logic in putting them on the ground rather than above ground?

 

[osama zafar]

Money is the problem

 

[Donatello]

Oh man, I haven't seen you in a long time.

I will tag you in whatever thread and we will continue our conversation. Nice to see you buddy.



Thanks for the additional info.

I think Wind should not be relied too much also. It should be backed up by a portfolio of other energy sources. Tamil Nadu relied a bit too much on wind, and there are seasons where the wind is not strong enough so they had a shortage.

Plus, Solar panels require a lot of water and land to maintain too.

Alternative energy should be used to supplement. They cannot replace the conventional sources of Coal/Oil/Gas. Hope is that by the time we really run out of fossil fuels, Nuclear Fusion and Fission would have leap frogged. We don't know where the technology will take us, 50 years from now on.

But Solar, Wind, Hydro have their limitations and they can in no way replace the conventional sources. It is just not possible.

 

[Dubious]

Would it not make more sense to mount solar panels (almost) vertically, so they don't get covered up by dirt, leaves, snow, etc?

What's the logic in putting them on the ground rather than above ground?

I guess sort of like kill 2 birds with 1 stone...

A lot of Dutch people use bikes soo they have a large network for bicycle paths and hence prob trying to get max coverage...to be used as a bike path, for people as well as to generate electricity'?

 

[Chronos]

Alternative energy should be used to supplement. They cannot replace the conventional sources of Coal/Oil/Gas. Hope is that by the time we really run out of fossil fuels, Nuclear Fusion and Fission would have leap frogged. We don't know where the technology will take us, 50 years from now on.

But Solar, Wind, Hydro have their limitations and they can in no way replace the conventional sources. It is just not possible.

agreed.

 

[rmi5]

It's not the cost but the efficiency of the system. Solar is not available 24/7 and is at best 24-30% efficient. Plus, conversion from DC to Batteries to AC not simple as well to drive large industrial loads.

Since cheaper alternatives are available, Solar gets the back seat. Wind is better in that regard.

Well, 25-30% efficiency is for older technologies of solar cells, and the conventional gas power plants, have not much better efficiency either, unless put them in combined cycle design which needs more initial costs and water consumption.
Also, some power lines, not for to home distribution, such as HVDC use DC voltage.

Most important problems are making big yet cheap and efficient batteries, and also the extremely low price of oil as an alternative. With current solar cell technologies, oil prices need to be 100$s more expensive to make solar cell an economical option.

I hope governments start to seriously fund solar cell projects, because reaching economical beneficial solar cells is not an impossible aspiration.

 

[Donatello]

Well, 25-30% efficiency is for older technologies of solar cells, and the conventional gas power plants, have not much better efficiency either, unless put them in combined cycle design which needs more initial costs and water consumption.
Also, some power lines, not for to home distribution, such as HVDC use DC voltage.

Most important problems are making big yet cheap and efficient batteries, and also the extremely low price of oil as an alternative. With current solar cell technologies, oil prices need to be 100$s more expensive to make solar cell an economical option.

I hope governments start to seriously fund solar cell projects, because reaching economical beneficial solar cells is not an impossible aspiration.

30% solar cell efficiency is for most of the solar cells that are flooding the market post year 2000. There are some cells that give above that, but they are hell expensive as well, which make going for solar totally ridiculous. Research is on going.