# Looks a good idea.



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

But sadly it's on Facebook so maybe not everyone can view it...............




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=161588281337277



Ray.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Cheaper, resistant to potholes and eco friendly, sounds like a winner, as long as its abrasive enough to stop you.

Terry


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

raynipper said:


> But sadly it's on Facebook so maybe not everyone can view it...............
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm not on Faceache Ray but it let me view it.

I recall a few years ago I saw something similar but with using old shredded car tyres...

Something needs to be done with the plastics though that's for certain.

Graham :smile2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It's all the plastics in the sea I'm more worried about, it's in the food chain now too, krill eat it then everything else eats the krill.


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## nickoff (Oct 11, 2005)

It really is getting scary. Now that they are looking into it closely the boffins are finding plastic emerging in more and more of our food chain. Plus it's killing so much of our wild life.

Nick.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Chips are the only safe food now.

Ray.


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## nickoff (Oct 11, 2005)

Only if it's off the old block.


Nick.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Looks good but they better hurry up. We saw an article where they were going to make some roads, car parks etc out of solar tiles. The plan was that all new expanses of tarmac would be replaced by solar cells and, so, generate all our electricity. Not sure about the roads but carparks would be a great idea!


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Didn't I see a report about a new road which is hydraulic, as you drove over the road it pressurised a pump to run a turbine, so it worked something like the wave type in the sea.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

patp said:


> Looks good but they better hurry up. We saw an article where they were going to make some roads, car parks etc out of solar tiles. The plan was that all new expanses of tarmac would be replaced by solar cells and, so, generate all our electricity. Not sure about the roads but carparks would be a great idea!


We did see solar panels covering covered car parking at some Spanish airports and big commercial companies in Madrid.

Ray.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Imho every new build - house or commercial - should be built with at least 1 solar panel (more than 1 for commercial property) as part of the PP/Building Regs.

Graham :smile2:


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Didn't I see a report about a new road which is hydraulic, as you drove over the road it pressurised a pump to run a turbine, so it worked something like the wave type in the sea.


You are partly right, Kev.

Sainsbury installed a kinetic plate at their Gloucester Store, suggesting the traffic entering their car park would power their checkouts.

Sadly, scientists disagreed, and to the best of my knowledge, Sainsbury didn't repeat the experiment.

This article outlines the reason:

http://www.enmanreg.org/kinetic-plates/


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not heard of that one John, I did a quick googly just now and is seems there are few ideas out there, some as recent as last year, not the ones in the back of what's left of my mind though 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=e....69i57j0l5.22994j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

GMJ said:


> Imho every new build - house or commercial - should be built with at least 1 solar panel (more than 1 for commercial property) as part of the PP/Building Regs.
> 
> Graham :smile2:


I totally agree and cannot see any reason why it has not been adopted. I installed solar panels on my roof two and a half years ago at a cost of £6500. If it was a requirement on all new builds the economy of scale would greatly reduce that cost.

Bearing in mind what the U.K. weather is like, and the fact that my roof faces S.E. not the 'ideal" of due south, so far they have produced in excess of 10 mega-watts of 'leccy. In fact my FIT (feed in tariff) of around 15.4p per Kilowatt of generated power (the ludicrous thing is that I get paid for all I generate even if I use it all and none goes back into the grid!!!) almost pays for ALL my energy (inc gas) when averaged out of the year. Having said that I have also invested in cavity wall insulation and additional loft insulation and our energy consumption appears (according to our energy supplier) to be about 50-60% of the "average" for a three bed semi.

Of course the downside is that when I NEED the most energy (winter evenings) solar panels produce nowt! I have looked at battery storage systems, but they are about £2500 and as my total energy bill is about £600 a year it's not financial viable, yet!

I recall a while ago an article where a German town were planning on surfacing a residential road entirely with (strong) solar panels. Little point innsurfacing a car park with them, the parked cars will keep the sun off!

My local Sainsbury's has a roof full of solar panels.

Andy


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

As we are south facing I would have put solar panels just on the car port as putting them on the house would destroy the 'cottage' presentation.
But as we grabbed a special deal with EDF 20+ years ago that gives us half price electricity all year except for 22 days in winter they can choose.
We pay only €0.08 per kwh normally but €0.36 per kwh on those special days. So we go out.

Ray.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

That will be the “Red” days then??

Do they give you any warning or notice of when those days are/will be??

Andy


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes 'Red' Days Andy. EJP tariff. 
No prior warning but if there is a hard white frost on the lawn when we get up we know the 'red' light will be on indicating it's an expensive day. Another good reason to spend winter in Portugal.
I was even considering an electric car because of our low tariff. But maybe later.

Ray.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

The idea of an electric or hybrid car appeals to me (due to being able to charge it from solar panels for free!!)

BUT being a tugger none of the currently available vehicles will give me the ability to tow 1500kg or the range I would need (ESPECIALLY when tugging) So I am sticking with my current Diesel and will do so for as long as possible. I do get irate at all the hype over “Dirty Diesels” Modern Diesel vehicles are very low pollutants, to my mind much more energy should be put into getting the much older (mechanical injection) diesels off the roads AND much more stringent enforcement in respect of all the buses and older trucks you see belching out clouds of black smoke every time they pull away or ascend a hill.

OK, rant now over.

Andy


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