Charging car on the move with solar panel, feasible?

[Carbon82]

When the manufacturers could find a

more efficient ways to generate energy , bring the cost down and there is demand, I am sure they would beautify it. Just wait and see.

 

I agree with this. Look at how much the price of solar panel for commercial use has eroded in the past decade.

 

And transparent solar panel are also in development:

 

This fully transparent solar cell could make every window and screen a power source

 

 

Back in August 2014, researchers at Michigan State University created a fully transparent solar concentrator, which could turn any window or sheet of glass (like your smartphone’s screen) into a photovoltaic solar cell. Unlike other “transparent” solar cells that we’ve reported on in the past, this one really is transparent, as you can see in the photos throughout this story. According to Richard Lunt, who led the research at the time, the team was confident the transparent solar panels can be efficiently deployed in a wide range of settings, from “tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader.”

 

Now Ubiquitous Energy, an MIT startup we first reported on in 2013, is getting closer to bringing its transparent solar panels to market. Lunt cofounded the company and remains assistant professor of chemical engineering and materials science at Michigan State University. Essentially, what they’re doing is instead of shrinking the components, they’re changing the way the cell absorbs light. The cell selectively harvests the part of the solar spectrum we can’t see with our eye, while letting regular visible light pass through.

 

Scientifically, a transparent solar panel is something of an oxymoron. Solar cells, specifically the photovoltaic kind, make energy by absorbing photons (sunlight) and converting them into electrons (electricity). If a material is transparent, however, by definition it means that all of the light passes through the medium to strike the back of your eye. This is why previous transparent solar cells have actually only been partially transparent — and, to add insult to injury, they usually they cast a colorful shadow too.

 

To get around this limitation, the Michigan State researchers use a slightly different technique for gathering sunlight. Instead of trying to create a transparent photovoltaic cell (which is nigh impossible), they use a transparent luminescent solar concentrator (TLSC). The TLSC consists of organic salts that absorb specific non-visible wavelengths of ultraviolet and infrared light, which they then luminesce (glow) as another wavelength of infrared light (also non-visible). This emitted infrared light is guided to the edge of plastic, where thin strips of conventional photovoltaic solar cell convert it into electricity. [Research paper: DOI: 10.1002/adom.201400103 – “Near-Infrared Harvesting Transparent Luminescent Solar Concentrators”]

 

If you look closely, you can see a couple of black strips along the edges of plastic block. Otherwise, though, the active organic material — and thus the bulk of the solar panel — is highly transparent. (Read: Solar singlet fission bends the laws of physics to boost solar power efficiency by 30%.)

 

The prototype TLSC currently has an efficiency of around 1%, but they think 10& should be possible once production commences. Non-transparent luminescent concentrators (which bathe the room in colorful light) max out at around 7%. On their own these aren’t huge figures, but on a larger scale — every window in a house or office block — the numbers quickly add up. And while we’re probably not talking about a technology that can keep your smartphone or tablet running indefinitely, replacing your device’s display with a TLSC could net you a few more minutes or hours of usage on a single battery charge.

 

“It opens a lot of area to deploy solar energy in a non-intrusive way,” Lunt said in an interview with Michigan State’s Today blog. “It can be used on tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader. Ultimately we want to make solar harvesting surfaces that you do not even know are there.”

 

The researchers — and Ubiquitous Energy — are confident that the technology can be scaled all the way from large industrial and commercial applications, down to consumer devices, while remaining affordable. So far, one of the larger barriers to large-scale adoption of solar power is the intrusive and ugly nature of solar panels — obviously, if we can produce large amounts of solar power from sheets of glass and plastic that look like normal sheets of glass and plastic, then that would be incredible.

I don't mind too. If I don't travel much, 50km is good enough for me, and that means I am going to pay nothing for fuel.

 

If bulk of the car owner switch to solar panel car, some of these fuel companies might have to close shop, and not to mention much lesser revenue for government from petrol tax.

 

No wonder LTA has to work on ERP 2.0, because no more petrol tax, also cannot earn from electricity charges. This is truly green energy source.

 

Hahaha... like that also can link to ERP. But quite true, tax revenue has to be maintained, so have to come up with more "creative" tax scheme. 

So bird poop will literally tank the car....

 

Depending on my many bird shit one can get, if just a few drops, no impact. But if like this, gone case liao. :D

 

Where got bird poop? Next time everyone will want to park their car under hot sun, all the trees will be chopped to eliminate shade.

 

Fighting to park under open area, instead of under shade? Some will then argued that it will take away more energy to cool down the car, LPPL. 

Accident will be real expensive to replace.

What say the insurance companies ?

 

All these insurance companies, with or without expensive solar panel, the premium still increase every year leh...

That's the big difference between real Japanese engineers and Sillyporean one - here we put heavy soil and try to plant grass instead of solar panels!

 

If I were to be Toyota, I would cover the front windscreen with panels too and view through a camera/monitor system like armoured vehicle.  Maybe can go extra 20km.

 

 

 

With transparent solar panel (in the future), whole car can be covered with panel to harvest as much solar energy as possible.

 

Reminds me of the ancient china soldiers with their armanents......

 

Like this?

 

 

 

its kinda pointless... at most will generate 0.5kWh....

 

how far can that go?

 

thats like 2MJ, energy in 1/16 litre of petrol... go a few hundred meters

 

According to Toyota, it can generate 860 W from the solar panel...

 

 

They should just learn from watchmakers like Citizen and Casio. They do know abit about solar power. 

 

 

But power consumption for watch is very much lesser than a car, just like those solar powered calculator we used during school days.

[inlinesix]

According to Toyota, it can generate 860 W from the solar panel...

 

 

Solar Panel from GoalZero which is 101.6cm x 140cm can produce 200w of power.

 

The number from Toyota could be understated

[Karoon]

Your number correct or not?

 

Toyota said can add 44.5km range le.

My assumption is all things being equal.

 

Toyota one maybe install all the panels and take out rear seats, spare tyre, additional aerodynamics etc etc

[Jamesc]

Instead of putting that silly grass on the roof of buses they should put solar panels instead.

 

[inlinesix]

My assumption is all things being equal.

 

Toyota one maybe install all the panels and take out rear seats, spare tyre, additional aerodynamics etc etc

 

Not forgetting that solar panel continue to charge when car is parked.

[Matrix0405]

looks ugly. But if solar can help extend the interval between charge to once a fortnight in phase 1, it is useful. Now fully charged EV is around 300km, so within a week need to charge once.  

[Frankloh]

That's the big difference between real Japanese engineers and Sillyporean one - here we put heavy soil and try to plant grass instead of solar panels!

 

If I were to be Toyota, I would cover the front windscreen with panels too and view through a camera/monitor system like armoured vehicle.  Maybe can go extra 20km.

 

Then the extra energy that you get is just enough to power-up your big screen monitor system. Not to mention that production cost of the car will increase tremendously.

[Evillusion]

I agree with this. Look at how much the price of solar panel for commercial

Maybe those are solar panels and Chinese ancient warriors were already harvesting and using solar power by the way modern movies are potraying them......who knows!

[Ct3833]

Not exactly there yet but quite there. the technology is feasible, and not necessarily aesthetically affecting the appearance of a car.

 

 

https://www.bgr.in/news/hyundai-sonata-hybrid-electric-car-uses-solar-roof-for-charging-just-like-the-lightyear-one/amp/

[Xefera]

Not exactly there yet but quite there. the technology is feasible, and not necessarily aesthetically affecting the appearance of a car.

 

 

https://www.bgr.in/news/hyundai-sonata-hybrid-electric-car-uses-solar-roof-for-charging-just-like-the-lightyear-one/amp/

 

this one i approve. the other prius is just fugly

[Raychay]

 

Oh no! Not another PHV on the roads!

[Xefera]

Haha.. this one don't know where to stick the PHV car decal

 

Oh no! Not another PHV on the roads!

 

[Didu]

Toyota tests solar-powered Prius in quest for plugless electric car

"On a good day, the charge can be sufficient for up to 56 kilometres (35 miles) of travel."  👍 impressive. Better than the one from Hyundai.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/toyota-tests-solar-powered-prius-in-quest-for-plugless-electric-car-1189912