Solar panels on roof of every car for running Air Conditioners and music systems
By vanny
@vandana7 (99882)
India
December 27, 2011 1:12pm CST
Why not?
If I were the chief minister of my State I would make it mandatory for everybody to install solar panels on top of their cars so that at least the air conditioner would run on solar energy. Provided of course, the technology permitted it.
As of now, I think it runs on the car's batteries. What a shame...after all car's roof is always available to us...and when we go on long drives we do need that air conditioner, dont we?
Phew..I must do something about my ego. It makes me think I have some good ideas..
7 people like this
15 responses
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
27 Dec 11
AC currently gets power by burning more fuel (it really screws your mileage).
That's a nice idea but... what would you do about cars coming in from other states? And how would you stop people from going out of state, buying a car without panels, bringing it into the state and not re-registering it so they didn't have to install them?
On a more serious note, the emergency telephones along the side of French motorways all have solar panels attached to power them: they can't be THAT expensive. Even jsut a couple of strips would help save a little fuel - and a little fuel on a couple of million cars means a LOT of fuel overall!
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@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
27 Dec 11
Absolutely... but 5 watts is better than none and if ALL cars had it, that'd be a lot less fuel burned throughout the world.
(Nice to know the exact stats, too, thank you - I'd always wondered, since I've driven past SO many of them...!)
@topffer (42156)
• France
27 Dec 11
"the emergency telephones along the side of French motorways all have solar panels attached to power them: they can't be THAT expensive" They are equipped with 5 Watts panels costing about $30 each, but there is a large difference between producing 5 Watts and the -- at least -- 100 watts needed for AC.
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
28 Dec 11
Thanks topffer..yeah 100 watts for AC is hard indeed to come up with solar panels. But there is a person in Thailand or some place who has covered his autoricksha with these panels, and running it with the energy generated. Surely, if that man can do it to run the auto rickshaw, why cant we do it to run the cars, buses, and even trains for that matter. Part of the energy can be recovered.
@spike - you are an optimist like me.
Glass is always half full even if it is 5 against a 100 ![](/Content/images/emotes/lol.gif)
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@Robswife2006 (1208)
• United States
27 Dec 11
Well that really would be a good idea except for the fact that it would also cost a lot of money to have those placed on ones car. Unless of course our government was willing to fit the bill for the amount of the cost. Then I would think it an excellent idea .... LOL
@Robswife2006 (1208)
• United States
27 Dec 11
Not sure, but I would think something like that would cost a lot, wouldn't you think?
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
27 Dec 11
Not sure it would cost all that much.. I mean, there was a tuk tuk vehicle running on solar panel. So we too can have that kind of thing..automobile manufacturers can add it to cost, and we can pay in installments of vehicle loan. We can receive some income tax discount each year for that as we are after all doing something that is environmentally friendly, and reducing consumption of other fuels.
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@mayka123 (16605)
• India
28 Dec 11
One of the sister concerns of my company is marketing solar panels. So I shall pray that you become the Chief Minister and make it mandatory to install solar panels not only on cars but all buildings and offices as well so that I can give my company a big order and get myself a promotion and raise in salary!!!!
. Hope I am not sounding selfish!!!!! But the idea is not bad at all. May be I should ask my General Manager if something like this can be made at a reasonable cost!!!!!
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@vandana7 (99882)
• India
28 Dec 11
Well, yes, sort of..lol
But not that way, you could have an identity number and some special electronic stuff that becomes necessary to link it with the rest of the unit within the car. Something like that..not too sure of the technology. Oh yes, my friend Deepu deserves everything nice in the world because he is such an angel. ![](/Content/images/emotes/hugs.gif)
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@cecil04 (409)
• South Africa
27 Dec 11
The truth is solar panels could be installed on cars but the government and oil companies would lose out on a lot of money. Do you know that there was once a fully functional electric car on the market but was withdrawn for no reason at all. The oil companies have the final say on how cars are built, you could try to fight them but you would lose in the end. There was a documentary made in 2006 called WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? you should check it out if you haven't watched it already.
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
28 Dec 11
cecil..I am sure governments across the world face the fact that there will come a time in about 30 odd years, when oil resources will get exhausted. Therefore, they would welcome anything that would be of help. Agreed they would lose on tax collections, but that is a long way off. They've to start encouraging such things do research experiment it on small scale, and then implement it in phased manner so that the industries that die out in the process are replaced by correspondingly tax fetching units and employment statistics remain intact if not better. If there is a will, there is a way. Not my words...
As to fully functional electric car, yeah, I heard it too. But from what I heard it was held back for a specific reason. The battery used in it was not perfect. That is the reason it was held back..at least that is how I understood it from the explanation given by somebody else.
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
28 Dec 11
Logically speaking if a perfect electric car does exist, it would make more sense even for governments to unveil it. They could sell the technologies to other countries at hefty premiums, which could then be used to wind up the redundant industries and start new ones for electric cars. Hopefully, the number of people unemployed would decrease with new technology implementation. Countries that cant afford the new technology would be offered the outdated yet advanced technologies which happens anyway even now. This could also earn the government quite a bit. So I am not sure taxes and selfish motives of entrepreneurs is the reason for holding back that car.
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@russell_21 (210)
• India
28 Dec 11
That is so cool... I would love to see that happen. Just imagine how much gas we would end up saving...
Good thinking.. Keep it up
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
29 Dec 11
Oh but as somebody pointed out it wont save for AC because there is as much difference as 5 to 100 watts. I mean AC needs a whole lot of more power than solar panel can offer. Nevertheless, there will be some saving. Just how much is something I need to confirm.
@JER616 (545)
• Philippines
29 Dec 11
If you have a car and can afford it, why don't you set a trend for its use? I believe many people will find it worth considering as this is an environment-friendly idea considering that it uses alternative energy.
I hope of the inventors in your country can invent such device. You are right, I also think this is feasible.
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
29 Dec 11
I have a car, and I can afford it, and I am planning to do that..but I didnt have the required information. Now I do. :) I am stillg going to implement it in 2012. :) I will use the car regularly, once in a week, once in a month, twice in a week ...etc., and tell you all the ideal mileage getting the most from such panels. :)
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
4 Jan 12
I think you have an excellent idea. Like you said though is the technology there and the cost of implimenting it going to appeal to consumers and then you have the biggest hoop is to get it past regulators as to how they'd classify the vehicle ect.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Dec 11
hi vandan yes those are good ideas for sure, Each new thing that came into being was onc e someones good idea and you might have just started a new trend solar panels for cars,I think some smart tech someplace could work it out and get it manufact ured too. You might have come up with a multi million dollar Idea.then we can all say I
knew Vandy when and now she is a celebrity for her new inventions. lol![](/Content/images/emotes/happy.gif)
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@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
31 Dec 11
Not to rain on your parade, but some car-roofs are actually used for packing during long drives. It is 'available' so some ingenious manufactures have developed compartments that attaches to the roof.
Not to mention others have retractable roofs, or sunroofs which is part of the appeal of the car.
But I am with you that if solar panels could be attached somehow, they could definitely be used as an alternative source for power (for the car at least).
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
28 Dec 11
Hi Vandana
Okay... I will vote for you (that I will even if you dont want my vehicle to run during winters and rains when there is no Sun to charge the vehicle
and also there will be a lesser of space when it came to that big luggage that I could have put on the roof of my future SUV)
Also: please note that I already mentioned on an earlier discussion of yours that my Voted Candidates have never won... but you would be an exception as your ego makes you think really good
.I must do something about my ego. - Start renting it out. I hope you find many takers and if there are none, I am always around
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@CTHanum (8234)
• Malaysia
27 Dec 11
It a good idea indeed. I can even imagined cars without gas usage but using solar power only. I think someday we will get to use it as the main source are getting less and lesser. But it take years to make it happen. As long as we still have sources to run the cars without solar power we will till going to use it as it has become the main source of income and investment for many countries. It will happen when we run out of gas and petrol source.
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
28 Dec 11
It takes nature ages to build those fossil fuels, we use them up in no time..and we spoil our environment with that. What a bunch of spoilt brats we are...
Yeah, and we need to find technologies fast for replacing the existing ones. We havent much time with us.
@djasika (41)
• Bulgaria
27 Dec 11
It really is a good idea. I also want to install a solar panel, but unfortunately is very expensive.
@vandana7 (99882)
• India
27 Dec 11
Not sure it would be that expensive because I did see a documentary in which some eastern auto vehicle driver had installed a panel on roof of his automobile and was running it on that instead of the regular fuel. If he can ply auto rickshaw on it, why cant we run at least the air conditioner and music system with it.
@jaihobalodiji1 (949)
• India
28 Dec 11
air conditioner, is it crazy how can air condition can be stay on by utilising solar energy yes. we do play music systems with the solar energy because its consumes less. but if we talk operating air condition we need very large number of solar panels needs to be put over the car, and for fulfilling that purpose we need a large surface over the car.
@agent807 (751)
• United States
28 Dec 11
Technically, the air conditioner runs off the engine itself as it needs the engines power to turn the compressor, which is all connected with belts. For an A/C system to run on solar power, it would need a place to store the collected energy to run the A/C. This has to be done by designing a system that will work on cars without and internal combustion engine (ICE), as electric cars have fewer moving parts in it's propulsion system. I believe the Nissan Leaf has a small solar panel in the back to power the interior fan, and there is an option on some Audis for a solar sunroof, which 'powers the ventilation system to reduce the interior temperatures for a limited amount of time' (Audi's words). Then there is of course, the Fisker Karma, which has an solar roof. Actually, running an air conditioner off of solar power would actually require 'batteries', a place where the collected energy is stored. As with any new technology, this will not be cheap, since it will probably come out on expensive cars first (the only reason the Leaf has a solar piece is because it is small), and because it is not proven yet, it will be offered in limited quantities, which by the time the improvements are made, a better system can be offered to the masses.
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