[ukandy]

> The tiles will be mostly installed on parking space near commercial centers..

What would possible block the sun from reaching these solar cells...

> I find it actually a great idea, especially with more electrical cars looking for plugs at those locations.

Oh yeah.

[pi-err]

Their PR is unfortunately low quality and low on facts, though critical thinking would also try to look at the "why".

The futur or "solar roads" is clearly not highways and express lanes. It's slow speed, commercial areas - as badly presented by Colas.

For the context, land use in Europe is so different than in the US. Suburbs don't crawl as much and space is more of a premium.

Thinking at a really local level, for a new retail space like this: https://goo.gl/maps/BRkQ5qNyaQU2 - the fields around the center are either here to stay or would be built on.

About 80% of this commercial space is parking lots. It's wasted space. Why not use it to produce power? Why use additional fertile or constructible terrain to add solar tiles?

Since 2015, businesses in France also have to build either gardens or solar panels on their rooftops (new constructions and redevelopments). So that's turning 90% of space used into something productive or "user-friendly". Again why not do it?

The pricing of those solar tiles is interesting: 6 euros per max watt produced on location. Cheap enough - and you get free power for parking users.

It's also great PR for solar to get inserted in people's lives at such locations.

[ukandy]

> About 80% of this commercial space is parking lots. It's wasted space. Why not use it to produce power?

You didn't get my point obviously. Parking spaces are to park on. When a car is on a parking space, it's blocking the light from tiles under it and also casting a shadow.

> Why use additional fertile or constructible terrain to add solar tiles?

Because they won't have cars park on them. They will also be at an optimal angle and cleaner.

[KevinBongart]

On a parking lot, not 100% is used by cars. Lots of space for driving/walking through and around.

The example above show the paring lot partially full with a lot of space for solar panel roads: https://goo.gl/maps/ZR5kNMZYGbE2

Also, in France, we're limited in farming space. Sure, it's going to go away eventually, while we outsource farming elsewhere, but replacing fields with solar panels is not as obvious of a tradeoff as it could be elsewhere in the world.

[cellularmitosis]

Why not just make covered parking, and put solar panels on top? Then you can just use "regular" solar panels, which will be a lot cheaper, last a lot longer, and produce a lot more electricity. Plus, covered parking! The additional structure will be costly, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up being the same total cost as the tiles.

[KevinBongart]

Good point!

[ukandy]

Why would you put them in the car park and not on the roof where they can be angled and unobstructed, with no new engineering challenges.

Sheep can still graze under the panels on farmland. Not that I'm advocating, farming sheep or using green fields for solar panels!

[weaksauce]

for parking lots you can build roofs to put them on. It adds shade and is never blocked by cars under them.

[paulddraper]

I also wouldn't recommend fertilizing your solar cells.

[JoeAltmaier]

'Solar roads' clearly have no future, as they are a preposterous idea put forth by nobody with any idea about how solar works.

[petra]

Its pretty easy to use parking spaces with solar , no need for solar roadways.

[rconti]

Or they could COVER the parking lot with these panels, which would not only generate more electricity, but would also be far more durable, provide shade/cover, and reduce the need for air conditioning systems to be run when because you'll no longer be climbing into a hot car.