INNOVATIVE IDEA

PROJECT: SOLAR
ROADWAYS
Roads today

Over 4 million miles

of roads across the
united States
20% of land in US is
impacted by roads
Take the form of
interstates,
driveways, parking
lots, highways,
residential streets,
etc.
Most major
roadways are made
of asphalt
Next most
common
material is
concrete
History of Roads
First were created by animals and then
adopted by humans
over 6,000 years ago in Jericho
Humans began constructing roads around
4,000 BCE in the Middle East
Consisted of stone streets
17th and 18th century: Road Revolution
Hotspot in Europe
Increased travel and globalization demanded
better roads
Where most of modern ideas of roads originated
Progression of
European
Road
Technologies
Roads and Automobiles
European road construction halted when railroads dominated the US
Rise of automobiles demanded a new kind of road leading into the 20th century
Asphalt Pavement
Composed of Bitumen, a Petroleum product
Glues together rock and sand
Layer of asphalt laid on top of a gravel base
Why?
Produces little noise
Relatively inexpensive
Easy to repair
Occurs frequently due to its lack of durability
Whats Wrong With Our Roads
Asphalt absorbs a large amount of thermal energy from the sun, but doesnt do anything with
it (except burn feet and paws)
Asphalt may be inexpensive, but it does not last long
Potholes form constantly
Requires constant maintenance to maintain longevity
Thermal
efficiency
asphalt can reach
up to 70 degrees
celsius
heat absorbing
properties
Environmental Impacts of Roads
Severe increase of wildlife mortality as animals cross
roads
Considered a leading cause of population decline for
some species
Many cold-blooded animals attracted to hot asphalt
surface
Animals with large ranges will inevitably encounter roads
Habitat fragmentation
Prohibit flow of genes among populations
Physically alters their ecosystem
Direct sources of pollution
Particulate matter
Greenhouse gases
Non-Point Polluted Runoff
What Are Solar Roadways?
 Why Solar Roads?
Positives Negatives

energy efficient can be high in cost

can stay snow/ice free might not be a great return on investment
can be illuminated maintenance can be tricky
can help power other structures around the in the future could possibly be hacked
roadway
Our Plan
1. Start small with driveways and walkways
2. Progress to larger parking lots
3. Once the process is refined, move on to streets and highways
Other
Benefits
Can remove
constant road
maintenance of
asphalt and
concrete
Move telephone
lines
underground so
they can no
longer be
knocked down
Redirect water
on the road to a
water treatment
plant to be
purified.
Melting
Snow
our solar roadways
will have the ability
to melt snow
asphalt gets
damaged when
snow melts
snow removal is
heavily taxed
Existing Products
SolaRoad and SolarRoadways
Solar roads
http://gizmodo.com/5465091/wind-powered-highway-lights-disconnect-from-the-grid
Wind powered lights
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/smart-road-technologies/
Electric priority lane
Uses magnetic fields to charge EVs on the go
Competition: Solar Roadways
Based in Sandpoint, Idaho
Hopes to partner with national chains like Walmart and McDonalds
will turn their parking lots into solar roads
Features such as tempered glass, LED panels, recharging electric vehicles,
stormwater collection, housing for powerline cables, and heaters for snow/ice
accumulation
Our Objectives and Features
Produce Electricity for a building or residence
Produce hot water for a building or residence
Keep roadways clear of snow
High efficiency
LED powered lights and road signs
Safe for animals
Reduce reliance on nonrenewable energy sources
Lower thermal waste
Stormwater capture and recycling
Key Parameters
Cost Effective
Durable
Aesthetically Pleasing
Safe
Handle high weight limit
Pressure-Sensitive
Low-maintenance
Why Choose Our Project
Only product that combines solar thermal and solar photovoltaic technologies
can both heat water and generate electricity
Saves money on electricity bills and water heating bills
Durable, aesthetic alternative to asphalt
Could potentially prevent accidents with LED lights
Glass
Glass
Solar Roadways has been criticized for glass getting dirty, lowering efficiency
Solution: Panel windshield wipers
Engineered to be thin enough as to not cause any disturbances
Could use the pressure sensitivity aspects of each panel to avoid the wipers running when
a car or person could run over it
Thermal Solar Collector
Converts solar radiation into thermal energy
Heats a fluid traveling through pipes to collect
energy
Often consists of a heat exchanger so the fluid in
the pipes doesnt need to be potable
Heat exchanger transfers heat from heated
medium to water
Collector unit covered by glass to keep out the
elements
Potential Customers
Drivers
Residential property/People with Driveways
Apartment Complexes
Businesses with parking lots
Restaurants, stores, companies
Electric Vehicle Charging
City governments
Wants and needs of customers
Little change: need things to be like the old way
Smooth ride
Quick construction
Integrity must be same or better to asphalt (no potholes, less hot, etc)
Safety during crashes
Save Money
Effectiveness
Provide energy to the surrounding buildings
Provide entirety of Hot Water requirements
Be equally or more durable than the surfaces that are being replaced
Must be suitable for driving
Must not require large amounts of time or money in upkeep
Survey Takers
College Students
Co-Workers

Why?
- easy information source
- represents common Americans and their needs
- progressive minds
Lower cost of electricity

Lower Cost of Hot Water

Research of Customer
Wants
use data collected from already existing solar roadways
Tourouvre au Perche in Normandy
solar bike path in Amsterdam
Find average sizes of parking lots so that people can park
comfortably
Find requirements for amount of water that needs to be
heated
Secondary Literature review: see sources at end of
Presentation
review of similar products and current news to develop basis of
our project, build upon design specifications of existing
companies, and discover new ideas
Assumptions
Assumptions
Size of parking lot to fit 50 cars (100
people)
13,275 ft^2= 1,234 m^2
Constant solar availability across globe:
6 kWh/m^2/day
Photovoltaic efficiency: 15%
Thermal collector efficiency: 90%
Average cost electricity: $0.20/ kWh.
Average use of electricity: 120,000
kWh/house/year
Average cost water heating: $50/month
Average use water heating
35 gallons/day/person
Cost Analysis

Missouri land (including installation): 12 x 24 patch of solar road: $100,000

$11.6 Billion/ square mile
$4,500/ m^2
Tax Credits and Incentives
30 percent rebate
Electric heat pump water heater with an energy factor of at least 2.0: $300 rebate
3,000 kWh/ 70 meters/ year harvested
43 kWh/ meter/year where solar availability is 4.3 kWh/m^2/day
59.8 kWh/meter/year where solar availability is 6.0 kWh/m^2/day
Produce 73,793.2 kWh/ year for our parking lot
ROI
Initial cost: $5,553,000
Tax rebates: $1,665,900
Total Investment: 3,887,100

We predict a ROI in 13-20 years. This is dependent upon the specific needs of the
customer
After becoming more common, our ROI could decrease to approximately 5 years
Impact on Society
With the installation of solar panels in more areas, renewable energy would become
more commonplace in our society, encouraging cheaper and more efficient products.
Impact on the Environment
Installing solar panels is one of the cleanest methods of obtaining energy. Solar panels
allow energy to be obtained without the negative impacts associated with conventional
forms of energy like the burning of fossil fuels.
- no greenhouse gas emission: alleviate climate change
- save the lives of animals crossing roads
- utilize wasted energy
Impact on the Economy
The purpose of solar panels is to generate electricity for surrounding structures. Installing
solar panels in areas previously unused will only lower the cost of energy for homes and
businesses, allowing them to spend that money in other ways.
Impact on Future Technology

Implementing solar panels in areas previously thought to be impossible will promote

further research into solar panels and other forms of renewable energy. This way
renewable energy can continue to expand to become a main source of energy.
Sources
http://www.solarroadways.com/Home/Specifics
http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Roads-Final.pdf
https://globalroadtechnology.com/road-construction/
https://www.britannica.com/technology/road
http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9615-129011--,00.html
http://www.environmentalscience.org/roads
https://www.epa.gov/nps/nonpoint-source-roads-highways-and-bridges
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/12/worlds-first-solar-road-opens-in-france/
http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/full/10.1175/BAMS-D-14-00265.1
https://solarenergylocal.com/states/missouri/normandy/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/07/chasing-genius-solar-roadways/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/energy/2016/03/160310-will-we-soon-be-riding-on-solar-roads/
https://www.thermalfluidscentral.org/encyclopedia/index.php/Solar_thermal_energy_collectors
https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/average-electricity-prices-kwh.html