This should be our future. [Solar Roadways]

**Django** · April-07-15, 04:20 AM

I love how they mention Hart Plaza made up of these electronic solar grids. We should be on this action. http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3...N8ouzd0sDw&s=1

**canuck** · April-07-15, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by Django

I love how they mention Hart Plaza made up of these electronic solar grids. We should be on this action. http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3...N8ouzd0sDw&s=1

S'lookin' good Django. Evahbody wanna boogie down on that street wid da led lights.

**Dbest** · April-07-15, 08:03 AM

It's criminal the amount of good ideas that are being suppressed by corporations. Certain people want things just the way they are, at a snails crawl.

I'm sure that instead of finding ways to implement this technology into test areas, politicians are ramping up there opposition on behalf of their corporate friends[[donors)..

Whether this technology is the answer or not without a proper trial who knows? Look at Tesla's IPO and it shows their is teeth to the idea of alternative energy implementation.

What ever happened to the Bloom [[solar box) guy? He was on 60 minutes, and Google's headquarters has his system in operation and generating part of its neccessary power. But it jhas been some years since I've read anything about him?

Here's a story about him and 60 minutes clip from 2010:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/the-bloom-box-a-power-plant-for-the-home-video/

**RO_Resident** · April-07-15, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by Dbest

It's criminal the amount of good ideas that are being suppressed by corporations. Certain people want things just the way they are, at a snails crawl.

I'm sure that instead of finding ways to implement this technology into test areas, politicians are ramping up there opposition on behalf of their corporate friends[[donors)..

Whether this technology is the answer or not without a proper trial who knows? Look at Tesla's IPO and it shows their is teeth to the idea of alternative energy implementation.

I think the Solar Roadways are a bit of a joke. Such a simple start--we'll embed solar cells in the road to see if we can generate electricity. Then they start adding features that create competing goals. They want the cells to modular, however that requires precision mounting hardware. That leads to them mounting the cells to box culverts. That leads to them adding conduit for electric and sewer, etc., etc.

That is on top of the LED lane markings and a heated road surface. [[And they don't seem to be very good at math, but that is a whole other ball of wax.)

The SolaRoad folks in the Netherlands [[http://www.solaroad.nl/en/) are taking a more traditional approach--see if the solar cells are a feasible road surface before adding all the bells and whistles.

And, no, I'm not poo-pooing the whole concept. We already have heat islands and microclimates due to urbanization. We should be able to leverage some of the passive solar for electrical and heating needs.

**emu steve** · April-07-15, 09:50 AM

I saw a snippet from the CEO of SolarCity. He indicated that all energy sectors, not just renewables, are subsidized by the government [[and it is ridiculous in some countries where gas is almost free).

So basically it is a battle between competing interests be it coal, renewables, natural gas, oil, etc. etc. and how our politicians 'side' in the battle...

Does anyone wonder why K. Street [[in D.C.) is a lobbying heaven.

It isn't simply marketing one brand of gasoline versus another [[like when I grew up) or trying to 'up sell' higher octane.

It is different energy sources which are competing and Congress helps determines winners and losers...

**jiminnm** · April-07-15, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dbest

It's criminal the amount of good ideas that are being suppressed by corporations. Certain people want things just the way they are, at a snails crawl.

I'm sure that instead of finding ways to implement this technology into test areas, politicians are ramping up there opposition on behalf of their corporate friends[[donors)..

Whether this technology is the answer or not without a proper trial who knows? Look at Tesla's IPO and it shows their is teeth to the idea of alternative energy implementation.

What ever happened to the Bloom [[solar box) guy? He was on 60 minutes, and Google's headquarters has his system in operation and generating part of its neccessary power. But it jhas been some years since I've read anything about him?

Here's a story about him and 60 minutes clip from 2010:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/the-bloom-box-a-power-plant-for-the-home-video/

They are still in business, but there are differing opinions on whether the "Bloom box" will be successful.
https://gigaom.com/2015/01/20/bloom-...-more-funding/

**detmsp** · April-07-15, 05:06 PM

http://jalopnik.com/why-the-solar-ro...dea-1582519375

**emu steve** · April-07-15, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

http://jalopnik.com/why-the-solar-ro...dea-1582519375

I'm having enough trouble just understanding solar panels on houses in warmer climates not a solar roadway.

**ABetterDetroit** · April-07-15, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Dbest

It's criminal the amount of good ideas that are being suppressed by corporations. Certain people want things just the way they are, at a snails crawl.

The most valuable corporation on earth is an intellectual property company who's biggest sales come from cell phones and was nearly bankrupt in 1996. They where coincidently saved by another huge intellectual property corporation who didn't exist 20 years prior.

"Snails crawl"? Nothing personal but you will gain some perspective as you get older.

**detmsp** · April-07-15, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

The most valuable corporation on earth is an intellectual property company who's biggest sales come from cell phones and was nearly bankrupt in 1996. They where coincidently saved by another huge intellectual property corporation who didn't exist 20 years prior.

"Snails crawl"? Nothing personal but you will gain some perspective as you get older.

i can't tell... were you being hyperbolic, or was that intended to be taken as a statement of fact? Because if market capitalization is how you determine the value of a corporation, Apple is the most valuable, followed by Exxon Mobile and Microsoft.

EDIT: oh I get it. You're calling Apple an intellectual property company. Designing and building software and hardware and filing patents to protect their work makes them an intellectual property company? Might as well call them a packaging company, because, you know, they put products in boxes too.

**ABetterDetroit** · April-07-15, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by detmsp

i can't tell... were you being hyperbolic, or was that intended to be taken as a statement of fact? Because if market capitalization is how you determine the value of a corporation, Apple is the most valuable, followed by Exxon Mobile and Microsoft.

EDIT: oh I get it. You're calling Apple an intellectual property company. Designing and building software and hardware and filing patents to protect their work makes them an intellectual property company? Might as well call them a packaging company, because, you know, they put products in boxes too.

Fair point in that it is an opinion as to what is an intellectual company. Apple Inc. subcontracts virtually every aspect of their products after the design, including the packaging, unlike Boeing, Catapillar or GE as examples. Where I was going is that the business plan of corporations is changing at the fastest rate ever and continues to accelerate.

**Dbest** · April-08-15, 06:02 AM

Exxon vice president J.S. Simon told congress in 2008: "The pursuit of alternative fuels must not detract from the development of oil and gas."

Not that he needs to convince anybody within the US government[[from a 2013 article):

"Don’t be fooled. Renewable investments pale in comparison to the amount of money poured into fossil fuel companies since 1918 to fatten their bottom lines and crowd out competition. Fossil fuels have received around 75 times more subsidies than clean energy. Up to 2011 [[adjusted for inflation), the oil and gas industry received $446.96 billion in cumulative energy subsidies from 1994 to 2009, whereas renewable energy sources received just $5.93 billion. An industry that has been enjoying federal tax subsidies for over a century has no standing to argue for a level playing field."

These groups are the ones responsible for the "snail crawl" in alternative energy development I referred to.

Don't forget about the military money spent protecting the oil flow in the middle east. People are paying on the front end and back end for oil..

Its tough going up against big oil/D.C. establishment, just ask Kennedy...

**mikeg19** · April-08-15, 06:25 AM

It's a really interesting concept, to say the least. Would it ever be feasible to implement across the United States? That's a long shot considering construction costs. I'd like to see a small city use it as a pilot program, something say the size of a Rochester or Royal Oak and see what the results are. Pretty interesting and it's nice to see people thinking outside the box.

**Wesley Mouch** · April-08-15, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Dbest

Exxon vice president J.S. Simon told congress in 2008: "The pursuit of alternative fuels must not detract from the development of oil and gas."

Not that he needs to convince anybody within the US government[[from a 2013 article):

"Don’t be fooled. Renewable investments pale in comparison to the amount of money poured into fossil fuel companies since 1918 to fatten their bottom lines and crowd out competition. Fossil fuels have received around 75 times more subsidies than clean energy. Up to 2011 [[adjusted for inflation), the oil and gas industry received $446.96 billion in cumulative energy subsidies from 1994 to 2009, whereas renewable energy sources received just $5.93 billion. An industry that has been enjoying federal tax subsidies for over a century has no standing to argue for a level playing field."

These groups are the ones responsible for the "snail crawl" in alternative energy development I referred to.

Don't forget about the military money spent protecting the oil flow in the middle east. People are paying on the front end and back end for oil..

Its tough going up against big oil/D.C. establishment, just ask Kennedy...

I look at your facts, and see something entirely different.

"The pursuit of alternative fuels must not detract from the development of oil and gas."

Well of course not. You should do both. And while you add green technologies, you still gotta drive that car. The current boom is the result of 'drill, baby, drill'. The result is a savings of billions of US dollars not being sent to the mideast, and perhaps peace with Iran.

These groups are the ones responsible for the "snail crawl" in alternative energy development I referred to.

"Snail Crawl"...? What do you mean. Solar costs are plummeting. Installations are increasing like mad. Cars are dramatically more efficient -- I just drove a gas SUV from Chrysler that actually got ovder 30 mpg. Progress is astounding. But that doesn't mean every single thing you think will come to pass right now.

"Don’t be fooled. Renewable investments pale in comparison to the amount of money poured into fossil fuel companies since 1918 to fatten their bottom lines and crowd out competition.

Renewables are the beneficiaries of a lot of corporate welfare right now. If you doubt that, ask any tea party member. It'll take a few years to catch up to the century of fossil fuel support -- especially if you consider the US military's only job to be protecting oil tankers -- important as that is to your life each day.

**Jimaz** · April-08-15, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

... ask any tea party member....

Yes, for they alone are the source of Universal Wisdom.

Bwahaha! That will be the biggest laugh of the day. Thanks.

**RO_Resident** · April-08-15, 02:36 PM

From earlier this week:
Feds want to add 75K new solar power workers
The U.S. government has announced plans to help train 75,000 people to enter the solar workforce by 2020, including a number of veterans. President Obama announced the expansion to a previous solar industry training plan during a visit to Utah's Hill Air Force Base on Friday.

The new initiative is a significant boost to the program announced last year that had set a goal of training 50,000 solar power workers by 2020.

http://www.computerworld.com/article...r-workers.html

**Wesley Mouch** · April-08-15, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Yes, for they alone are the source of Universal Wisdom.

Bwahaha! That will be the biggest laugh of the day. Thanks.

It is a big laugh.... but I also laugh at the call for more renewable energy subsidies from the government for corporations. Do people understand that this is the corporate pork they complain about is born? Its called subsidies. And it doesn't usually go to those in need, it goes to the corporate money trough out in the barn.