Comment on Switzerland Unveils World’s First Operational Solar Railway Project
crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 2 months ago
This is only slightly less stupid than “float-ovoltaics” or “solar freakin’ roadways!!!”
Space is at a premium in many parts of Switzerland and a lot of the available land is privately owned. This MIGHT be the easiest way to deploy solar in the specific rail sections being considered and may only generate a small portion of the needed electricity.
So it might be the simplest effective idea for the region.
One of the big positives is that the “mounting hardware” is already there and pretty consistent, you don’t need to clear land and build things. So they just drive a custom train over that basically clip in removable panels.
porous_grey_matter@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
It’s putting e not the best idea but it’s considerably less stupid than those, considering they managed to actually build one
Mihies@programming.dev 2 months ago
Yeah, we’ll see. There are so many possible issues with this, starting with why. We still have plenty of roofs to cover which are easy, predictable and yield better output for much lower price. Then there are issues with vibrations, efficiency and pollution at least.
porous_grey_matter@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
Don’t get me wrong I still think it’s dumb
Nalivai@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Converting roofs into solar is simple and cool if you don’t know anything about any of that. Then so many problems emerging, you start going crazy and earn for the simplicity and straightforwardness of a floating solar platform.
And that’s before you remember that not all of the world is US and most people don’t actually live in a detached house with a roof.
Mihies@programming.dev 1 month ago
Huh, what? While placing solar panels on the roof isn’t ideal, it’s far from problematic. And roofs aren’t only on resident houses, you have plenty of industrial ones which are usually even better as they are flat.