I wonder if there is enough mineable copper on the planet though to make it work.
The financing would be interesting. Just because a thing might cost a few trillion dollars doesn't mean it can't be done... the world is awash in capital right now, actually, and the investment would be "safe" in a sense if the roadway itself acts as collateral - the electricity produced would pay the interest on the bonds...
The financial system could probably float a trillion dollars worth of 100 year, 5% coupon bonds for this and they would be subscribed... I don't know how much solar freakin' roadway a trillion dollars buys though. Maybe not as much as you'd hope.
I think the Vegas Strip would make a nice beta test site.
Dances - I think what's needed is a process of refinement. Crawl / walk / run.
There's a ton of kinks to be worked out, I'm sure. Needs to go on some parking lots / driveways / private roads first. Definitely ready for some "beta test" sites. Almost certainly not ready for public funding - but as an engineer I wouldn't expect it to be, at this early stage.
It would be decades before it starts getting laid down on the interstates, if ever. But in between now and then it's reasonable to hope there would be some cool installations.
It totally looks real.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there is enough mineable copper on the planet though to make it work.
The financing would be interesting. Just because a thing might cost a few trillion dollars doesn't mean it can't be done... the world is awash in capital right now, actually, and the investment would be "safe" in a sense if the roadway itself acts as collateral - the electricity produced would pay the interest on the bonds...
The financial system could probably float a trillion dollars worth of 100 year, 5% coupon bonds for this and they would be subscribed... I don't know how much solar freakin' roadway a trillion dollars buys though. Maybe not as much as you'd hope.
I think the Vegas Strip would make a nice beta test site.
Well, that's interesting, to say the least. Sounds great, but there has to be some drawback other than funding to begin it
ReplyDeleteDances - I think what's needed is a process of refinement. Crawl / walk / run.
DeleteThere's a ton of kinks to be worked out, I'm sure. Needs to go on some parking lots / driveways / private roads first. Definitely ready for some "beta test" sites. Almost certainly not ready for public funding - but as an engineer I wouldn't expect it to be, at this early stage.
It would be decades before it starts getting laid down on the interstates, if ever. But in between now and then it's reasonable to hope there would be some cool installations.