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posted by
cmn32480
on Wednesday December 28 2016, @07:32AM
from the checking-the-cost-benefit-numbers dept.
from the checking-the-cost-benefit-numbers dept.
France has opened what it claims to be the world's first solar panel road in a Normandy village.
A 1km (0.6-mile) route in the small village of Tourouvre-au-Perche covered with 2,800 sq m of electricity-generating panels, was inaugurated on Thursday by the ecology minister, Ségolène Royal.
It cost €5m (£4.2m) to construct and will be used by about 2,000 motorists a day during a two-year test period to establish if it can generate enough energy to power street lighting in the village of 3,400 residents.
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World's First Solar Panel Road Opens in Normandy Village
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Don't believe everything you hear or anything you say.
(Score: 4, Informative) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday December 28 2016, @01:04PM
So lets do a little math. 2800m2 of panels. Assuming ideal conditions all around such as 100% PV coverage of all 2800m2, direct sun light, and no physical wear from vehicles. Given the average of 1kW·m2 we can say the system receives 2.8MW of solar energy. Though, panels are 15-20% efficient at best. Lets go with the best case scenario, 20%, to get 560kW electrical output which is 560kWh generating capacity. France's average cost per kWh is €0.1691 or $0.18 USD. Assuming a rough average of 1700 hours2 of sunlight for the region, that gives us 1700h*560kWh which is 952000kWh. So it is making
€160,888/yr. So assuming 100% ideal conditions, they can expect a full return in a little over 31 years (€5M/€160,888).
That's ideal. In reality I'm sure it will never even come close to generating half that amount of power. And the system most likely wont make 10% of the €5M before wear, snow, ice, and water kill it. But we'll probably never hear about it.
All-in-all it's only good for once and for all proving its a dumb idea. Panels should go up high where they don't eat shit 24/7.
1:https://www.french-property.com/guides/france/utilities/electricity/tariff/ [french-property.com]
2: https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/France/annual-days-of-sunshine.php [currentresults.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 28 2016, @09:26PM
Another article I read on this said they expect a 10 year lifespan before replacement. Which is typical for roads.