Thread: Hmm, interesting

I like the idea of the solar panel windows. Can't help but wonder if they'd be like the Prius - cost more to make than they save when in use - but it's an idea I reckon is worth pursuing!

The kinetic energy one is... interesting.

An “external regenerative brake?” Gave me visions of airbags being deployed in front of cars about to run red lights.

I'm pretty sure we have the technology to build such a system, but I can't see how it could be implemented practically. I imagine they got the idea from rail systems, which already have internal regenerative braking. There it'd work well. I think.

But cars? I don't think so, somehow. Not until the day when they all run on autopilot, anyway.

The "spray on solar cells" brought back the memory of a science project I did in 1989ish. We had to come up with something futuristic (and thus not necessarily possible at the time) and mine was about a car powered by a solar cell paint.

Maybe I should challenge the patents

There are a plethora of these kinds of technologies on the way, this one caught my attention

Researchers develop paint-on solar cells - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Bring it on!

The MotionPower one is either a scam or they're deluded.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, the energy has to come from somewhere (and that will be your higher fuel bill).

Originally Posted by Dropcat

The MotionPower one is either a scam or they're deluded.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, the energy has to come from somewhere (and that will be your higher fuel bill).

The idea is that it gains the energy by slowing down vehicles. Your brakes do the same thing, by converting kinetic energy to heat.

So, installed at traffic lights, cross-roads, etc., where people need to slow down it should work fine. In theory. The implementation of such a device though... now that's where it gets hairy.

Isn't that what the hybrids do already? I have a hybrid toyota camry for work and it has a groovy image on the dashboard of the wheels charging the battery whenever it brakes.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

The idea is that it gains the energy by slowing down vehicles.
The implementation of such a device though... now that's where it gets hairy.

So I feel a drag every time I drive through an intersection... yup, can't see a problem with that.

I saw a similar hair-brained idea where someone wanted to put little generators under brick paths in CBD streets. As you step on the bricks they move up & down (peizos so they don't move very far), that didn't go anywhere either.

I wanted to put little generators on traffic light poles, you don't get a walk signal until you crank a set amount of power. Sadly to say investors haven't beat a path to my door. Hey, it's better than generators in the road.

Originally Posted by Dropcat

So I feel a drag every time I drive through an intersection... yup, can't see a problem with that.

I imagine it'd be switched with the traffic lights. But even so, that's only one of many other possible problems.

Originally Posted by rhancock

Isn't that what the hybrids do already? I have a hybrid toyota camry for work and it has a groovy image on the dashboard of the wheels charging the battery whenever it brakes.

Yep. And many rail systems use it, too.

The difference would be that this system is in the road, not part of your car.

Nice idea. But practical? Don't think so.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

The idea is that it gains the energy by slowing down vehicles. Your brakes do the same thing, by converting kinetic energy to heat.

So, installed at traffic lights, cross-roads, etc., where people need to slow down it should work fine. In theory. The implementation of such a device though... now that's where it gets hairy.

I thought the blurb said it worked by converting the kinetic energy of moving vehicles so there would be less benefit at intersections where the vehicles are moving more slowly. I imagined something on the lines of a reversed linear induction motor using metal in the car cutting magnetic fields. How it would work with cars which have aluminium engine blocks and fibreglass/carbon fibre bodies is problematic.
It sounds like one of these ideas that are based on gross statistics - kinetic energy in x number of cars travelling an average speed of y would represent z amount of electrical power. This figure would be so huge that they would then claim they only needed to capture a tiny percentage of z to make it viable. Bring it down to practicalities and it probably would fall over.
As someone said earlier there isn't such a thing as a free lunch, you are just robbing Peter to pay Paul. Great if your name is Paul.
There's lots of free energy out there, just fly a kite in a thunderstorm
Cheers,
Jim