[JumpCrisscross]

> at least the train isn’t driving directly on the thing

It’s just kicking up dust and dripping lubricant onto it.

Maybe this makes sense. I’m deeply sceptical. Especially when you could just be putting vertical panels to the sides.

[hx8]

It's solar, of course the unit economics are going to pencil out positive in the majority of climates and energy markets. The real question is "why should we put them here instead of somewhere else."

I wonder if the benefits are legal/jurisdiction/political. The total amount of track they could install this on is huge, and it doesn't seem like something that will be disagreeable on the local level. It could just be the easiest place to put it to deal with property law and zoning etc.

Another political benefit is that it means work for a very large number of jurisdictions, as there are suitable tracks just about everywhere.

[JumpCrisscross]

> It's solar, of course the unit economics are going to pencil out positive in the majority of climates and energy markets

This is far from an of course. There were idiots trying to do solar roads a few years ago. The math didn't pencil out.

[hx8]

1. That was 20 years ago. I wonder how it would pencil out now.

2. Yeah it was kind of dumb to put the panels into a high wear environment like a road.

3. What matters more is which projects pencil out the best. There are too many to choose from that have a positive ROI.

[JumpCrisscross]

> 3. What matters more is which projects pencil out the best. There are too many to choose from that have a positive ROI

Sure. I'm unconvinced a railroad is the best place we need to be putting panels for anything other than PR value.

[hx8]

If PR value gets panels installed faster than they otherwise would be who cares. The most important thing is we install as much solar as possible as quickly as possible, because we're killing ourselves fighting wars for other energy sources that poison our entire planet to use.

[Epa095]

  Initially, he planned to remove dust from the surface of the photovoltaic cells using a cylindrical brush mounted on the rear of a train. “However, we realised that each time a train passes, it creates an airflow that sweeps away all the dust,” he said.

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/emissions-reduction/solar-energ...

[zdragnar]

That seems pretty optimistic in the long run. Even a high power leaf blower won't get all the dust off of a dirty surface, especially if any sort of hydraulic oil, bearing grease or other viscous fluid mists onto the surface.

[Ma8ee]

One thing that has struck me with our own solar panels is that they have to be very dirty before I notice any significant degradation in efficiency. And when they do get completely covered in pollen or leaves, a brief rain is usually enough to clean them.

[happosai]

At least trains no longer drop literal shit between rails...

[panick21_]

Until you realize that polan is super stick and is really had to remove. I had a table outside and just 'blow away' dust didn't work at all. You need to actually clean with friction, water and cleaner.

[marysol5]

So maintenance, which is required anyway.

[panick21_]

Solar doesn't need a lot maintenance and certainty not every 2 weeks in summer.