Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.)

1. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) Presented by; Sean Westcott An Approach to Constructing and Implementing a Decentralized Photovoltaic Power Generation Array, with built in ITS Infrastructural Applications.

2. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) -Sections- • What is a Solar Utility Barrier? • What are the Designs? • How About Efficiency Issues? • Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. • What’s the Output? • General Proposed System Configuration. • Similar Efforts Globally • Cost Analysis • Next steps of Action • Closing • FAQ’s Page

3. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) What is a Solar Utility Barrier?

4. What is a Solar Utility Barrier? • Simply put, a Solar Utility Barrier (or S.U.B.),is a novel method of creating a decentralized, large scale, solar electrical power generation array, within the United States, for incorporation into the existing electric power grid that will also incorporate significant improvements to the next generation of the National Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure. • Invented by Sean Westcott, the funds generated from implementing this novel array could be used to completely pay for all repairs to the entire existing surface transportation infrastructure, within the United States, while also providing 24 hour a day, regional, electrical generation.

5. What is a Solar Utility Barrier? Cont... • The design of this decentralized electrical power generation array, is based upon, embedding pre-stressed concrete Jersey Barriers (and retrofitting existing Jersey Barriers), with flexible thin film solar panels, at minimal cost, while providing a maximum return on investment for the cost of implementation.

6. What is a Solar Utility Barrier? Cont... Working 1/9 Scale Model created by, Sean Westcott

7. What is a Solar Utility Barrier? Cont... • Realizing that the outright replacement of all existing jersey barriers could be an expensive proposition, Westcott's approach, is designed to start small and scale up, as the system pays for itself, or, as outside funding becomes available. • Westcott has also, designed a “retrofit package” to be deployed in suitable locations, on existing concrete barriers of this type. The retrofit design, also has an electronic instrumentation capability.

8. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) What Are the designs?

9. What are the designs? • Westcott has two major S.U.B. designs, for consideration; The first, is a retrofitting panel design, which is simply, a thin film solar panel, enclosed within a UV and impact resistant polycarbonate lense housing, and affixed to the tops, and non-traffic facing, sides of existing jersey barriers. This design can also, be affixed to the tops of sound barriers and other concrete structures, while also having the ability to be utilized in various other, municipal applications (bridge facings, ledges, parking structures, traffic medians, etc.).

10. What are the designs? cont... • The second design, involves affixing, prefabricated thin film, panel inserts, directly into the superstructure of a redesigned (and safety tested) Jersey barrier that has a recessed edge, specifically purposed to house such panels. This design is completely modular, and allows for attachment with other jersey barriers, in order to increase power production, as desired. This design can also, be connected in series or parallel, or in runs of both, for purposes of decentralization, and complete power management and component control.

11. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) How about efficiency issues?

12. How About Efficiency Issues? • Instead of asking if this approach is efficient, we should be asking “how efficient can we make it today”, and, “will it still be useful tomorrow”? • The solar industry is a quirky and picky industry. When it comes to installing roof top arrays, efficiency takes a back seat to the roof plan of a home. As long as the sale goes through, everyone is happy. But, if a governmental agency wants to move forward, suddenly, huge tracking systems need to be placed, huge tracts of land need cleared, and huge amounts of money need to be handed over.

13. How About Efficiency Issues? cont... • The only reason the mega-farm photovoltaic arrays “seem” to generate money and energy efficiently, is, because, unlike the average homeowner, these solar farms don't use electricity at night, but efficiency is measured on a 24 hour basis. They have a higher “net”. • These arrays may appear to be efficient superficially, but those net metering concepts don't really work for anyone, except the producers.

14. How About Efficiency Issues? cont... • Any losses in efficiency, with the S.U.B. array, are completely made up for, and negated by; volume of units that can be added, reduction of costs (including maintenance), diversity of revenue stream (electronic packages), running times (24hrs a day), protection of wildlife (no new footprint), and less heat loss from long distance transmission (decentralized, and closer to the end consumers).

15. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) Why the s.u.b. way, is the better way?

16. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. • Ease of installation With the exception of the periodic “tie-ins” to the transmission lines, the S.U.B. Was designed to be installed by minimally trained personnel, in close to the same manner that jersey barriers are installed today.

17. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. • Modular Nature of the system For many years now, the electronics industry has been creating smaller and smaller components. The types of electronic packages that can be installed and housed within the body of the panel housings, is, truly endless. The S.U.B., is Modular in two ways. • First, the barriers themselves, are designed to connect to one another and lock into place, on an “as needed” basis (meaning they can be added to, whenever, and wherever, desired). • Second, the panel housing will have standardized “pig tail” connectors built right in, so that any additional electronic components can be added on a plug and play basis.

18. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. • No harmful impact to the local ecology The S.U.B., is, simply stated, a redesign of an existing element, within the infrastructure that’s already in place. The footprint is already well established for this system, so wildlife and the local environment won't be impacted by a new industrial presence. 4.Potential 24 hour a day applications Renewable energy opportunities, such as hydrogen fuel generation, offer ways in which the process of solar energy production can become an ultra-efficient 24 twenty four hour a day operation. Hydrogen fuel is easily produced through a solar powered, electrolysis process.

19. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way.cont... 4.cont… This H2 gas production is accomplished by simply passing an electrical current through water, and the result is a separation of the oxygen and hydrogen molecules. The hydrogen is later burned in a gas powered electric generation facility, and the exhaust is a water vapor that can be reused in a closed loop process. i.e. Solar power generation during the day, and Hydrogen power generation at night.

20. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. cont... 5. Platform for induction charging, of new EV's Electric Vehicles, or EV's, are now being designed with induction charging systems, which allow for wireless charging. Toyota announced in March of 2014, that they are experimenting with induction charging cars and parking lots. States, including Nevada, could eventually, embed induction charging capabilities, directly into the roadway and collect infrastructure fees from vehicles utilizing a S.U.B.'s recharging capabilities.

21. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. cont... 5. Cont… These fees could generate valuable revenue, to continually improve a given state's infrastructure. The sole reason that induction charging is not viable right now, is that the transmission of electricity from point to point, generates heat. And heat generation loss, accounts for more than 60% of all the electricity used in this country, just in transmission alone. The S.U.B. Is decentralized and generates substantially less heat because the transmission of power is spread out through the entire infrastructure. This is also one of the ways in which the loss of efficiency from the S.U.B., is more than made up for. There is an actual, measurable, net gain from this approach.

22. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way.cont... 6. Short term, Jobs creation Created, built, and maintained by Americans, the S.U.B. Array, will only go on to employ more and more people, as the system is designed to expand in scope. Some of the short term effects on industry, to be realized will be job creation, in the following areas; Roadway Construction, Research and Applications Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electricians, Concrete Manufacturing, Photovoltaic Installation, Project Management, State Inspection, Software and Hardware Development, Truck Drivers, and all the jobs that support these positions.

23. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way.cont... 7. Long term, jobs creation The proposed S.U.B. Array, like any other part of the infrastructure, will need maintaining and regular upgrading. Some of the jobs needed to keep the system functioning properly, include, Roadway Construction, Photovoltaic Installation, Photovoltaic Repair, Energy Management, Systems Management, IT Systems, Research and Applications, Emergency Management and Monitoring, State Taxation and Fee Collections, Emerging Industry Jobs, and all the jobs newly created which support these positions. So jobs will be created, and revenue infused into the Nevada economy.

24. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. cont... 8.Long term revenue stream The flow of revenue will likely come from many sources, since this system is completely modular. Some of these sources, which are known, include; Emergency Management funds, Dept. of Homeland security funds, Power Generation, ITS funds, H2 gas production (resold to power companies, and fuel cell operators), Fees and taxation through a potential electric induction system, in which, vehicle owners pay to recharge their vehicles wirelessly, while driving on Highways (basically, this makes local government, the new fuel provider for cars and trucks.)

25. Why The S.U.B. Way, is the Better Way. cont... 8.Cont… As the modular nature of this system is explored by industry, new companies will spring up and want to capitalize on Nevada's new marketplace. These companies will, necessarily, bring new jobs and new money to the region. Federal, National Intelligence Transportation Infrastructure funding is also available for States implementing such systems. The term National Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure (NITI), refers to the integrated electronics, communications, and hardware and software elements that can support Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) services and products. NITI was defined and mandated by Congress. It is quite obvious, that, in this instance, investment brings reward, and, in turn, more investment, from both private and federal sources.

26. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) What is the output?

27. What's the output? The output at peak performance for each side of each S.U.B., will be, about 60 watts @ 15.4 Volts 3.9amps hour. This translates into 1 set of 10 S.U.B.'s = 1.2 Kw hrs 10 sets = 1 series, which translates to 100 S.U.B.s = 12Kw hrs X's 12 hrs per usable light per day avg = 144Kw hrs per day X's 7 days wk = 1.008Mw per week (Context: A typical U.S. household uses about 908 kWh a month of electricity.)

28. What's the output? cont... These figures don't include the output provided by the top solar panel, which is initially reserved for components. However; The top panel outputs are 28W @ 15.4Vts 1.8Amp and can be utilized by individual components or added to the entire output of the system. The top, is of the same design in the retrofit version, as the modified S.U.B. Version. The main deviation, between the two designs, is only method of attachment.

29. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) General proposed system configuration

30. General Proposed System Configuration Although the proposed approach is a novel one, the science and the practice behind the entire system, are well established. Once funding is in place, implementation will need to involve local and regional power providers and contractors, to identify appropriate grid tie locations.

31. General Proposed System Configuration Cont... The system is designed to be wired in a series and a parallel configuration, the installation of the barriers will be in parallel sets of ten to twenty at a time, with the sets ran in series. Each set of ten barriers, will have its own designation and its own inverter to change the current from 15Vt DC to 110Vt AC., and will have its own step up transformers to bring the combined voltage, up from 110Vt to a transmission voltage of 540Vt. which will complete the process from the front end.

32. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) Similar efforts, globally

33. Similar Efforts Globally • The UK has conducted successful trials of systems that incorporate solar energy collectors in the road and shallow insulated heat stores in the ground. Likewise, Worcester Polytechnic Institute researchers have found evidence suggesting that asphalt pavement solar collectors hold promise for energy recovery.

34. Similar Efforts Globally • More recently, an Idaho-based company "Solar Roadways" has been awarded Small Business Innovation Research grants of $750,000.00 to develop 12-by-12-foot solar panels that could be embedded into roads to provide power into the electrical grid. It is estimated that each solar road panel, which would cost approximately $7,000 each, could generate roughly 7.6 kWh of power per day. They have also received over $1,000,000.00 in crowd sourced funding, in less than one week, demonstrating the public interest in this direction. Researchers are investigating whether the panels could feature LED road warnings. (Source U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration). “Solar Roadways”’ approach involves the use of many resources (steel, glass, new diodes, LEDs, etc..), in order to counteract the effects of constant abuse by passing traffic. Which means constant replacement and repair. • Westcott’s approach, involves no, glass, and no wear and tear from heavy traffic use. • LED’s can even be embedded, as informational displays, within the lense housing of the S.U.B. array. And, the S.U.B. cost , is, significantly lower, than the proposed solar roadways project.

35. Similar Efforts Globally • Figure 1: Shows aPV system mounted on a noise barrier in Europe, source www.photovoltaik.eu. Note: In the U.S., this type of installation is limited by the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide. No structures of any sort are allowed to be placed on top of or directly behind guardrails or median barriers (unless the barrier is specifically designed to be crash-worthy). See FHWA Office of Infrastructure's Clear Zone and Horizontal Clearance website for more information. Westcott’s design is crashworthy under current guidelines, and thus, meets this requirement.

36. Similar Efforts Globally • Figure 1.

37. Similar Efforts Globally • Figure 2: Aerial view of Oregon DOT's Solar Highway Demonstration ProjectPhoto credit: Oregon DOT

38. Similar Efforts Globally • Figure 3: Aerial view of Oregon DOT's Baldock Safety Rest Area Solar Highway ProjectPhoto credit: Gary Weber, Oregon DOT

39. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) Cost analysis

40. Cost Analysis • As previously indicated, there are a number of industries that could quickly become dependent upon an infrastructure upgrade such as the S.U.B. Array. For that reason, this application of technology should become part of the public/private domain and new standards should be quickly set for this emerging commercial enterprise. The initial platform licensing fees alone, could cover all costs of installation. • Although the cost of crash testing in the phase one project is enormous, at $50,000+, the estimated parts cost, per barrier, for the full size prototypes, will only be approximately $2,500.00. The cost should fall after final designs are solidified and components are standardized. • Labor costs are still to be determined through testing stages.

41. Cost Analysis cont... • There are currently, no other solar, wind, bio-gas, or other green innovations that stand to generate so many diverse sources of income, as the S.U.B. Array. • There are currently, no other Solar, wind, bio-gas, or other green innovations that currently present themselves without some sort of trade off with the local ecology. • America shouldn't have to compromise.

42. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) Next steps of action

43. Next Steps of Action • The next steps that need to be taken, are; • Creation of an organization with full funding, to explore initial scope and size of array. • Protection of all intellectual properties for the benefit of Westcott and/or partners. • Identification of suitable public/private partners • Identification of suitable grid tie/ demonstration site locations, and submission of full grant proposals for federal and private funding. • Creation of a full size prototype array, • Analysis of data and expansion of test array for full build up of the National Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure.

44. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) closing

45. Closing Mr. Westcott would like to take this time to thank you, and encourages questions regarding anything from this presentation. Our FAQ’s page follows the end of this presentation. Westcott's intent, is to make the proposed system, as viable and accessible as possible, for all interested parties

46. Solar Utility Barrier (S.U.B.) Thank you. Mr. Westcott may be contacted any time through the following contact information: Sean Westcott Las Vegas, Nevada. sean@alwaysnewdevelopments.com

47. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) • Q; What happens to the electricity if a vehicle impacts the panels? • A; The S.U.B. Array system is designed to be self-regulating. So, if a panel is impacted, or damaged, it is immediately isolated from the rest of the system and the neighboring panels will then inform a remote monitoring station of the exact location of the failed panel. • Q; What about dangerous debris if a vehicle impacts the panels? • A; The panels are made as a thin plastic substrate (known as thin film), and will be housed behind an impact (and UV resistant), polycarbonate, plastic lens. • Q; How do you get around (or offset), known efficiency issues with the intended panel configuration in a “cost versus benefits analysis”? • A; The formula for the full answer looks like this: • The benefits of A1+A2+A3+A4+A4a+A4b+A4c(combined) – the COST = NET (This equation does not include the other benefits listed in the FAQ’s page, or any future, unknown, applications of the S.U.B. Array.) • A1; Creating a widespread Electronics Platform, also creates revenue when previously, there was none. The current practice of utilizing Jersey Barriers without any purpose, other than safety, means that any form of revenue generated, within the same footprint overcomes the cost versus benefit hurdles, as long as, the original safety features are still emplaced, and the price of installation is comparable to that of unaltered barriers.

48. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)Cont… • A2: Reduction of friction induced heat loss during transmission of electricity. • Heat loss, accounts for more than 60% of all the electricity produced in this country, just in transmission alone. This heat loss is caused by friction from the shear distance in which electricity must travel from producer, to the end consumer. The S.U.B. Array system is designed to be closer to the end users of produced power. A decentralized system that can overcome even some portion of the known cause of losses in transmission of America’s electricity, automatically translates into a net gain. Even, if it appears to be less efficient, on its face. • A3: Wireless applications opportunities. • Alternative uses of the space within the panel housings are another opportunity which must be considered. The panel housings for this system are intended to accommodate a variety of wireless applications. Even a negligible amount of energy production can power a huge assortment of technologies that are available today. Leasing the surplus space within the modified barriers allows for exploitation of technology in a way that has never been possible, until now. This concept allows for a reconsideration of cost versus benefit analysis, when applied to efficiency calculations.

49. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)Cont… • A4: Service fee and taxation opportunities, which could include; • A4a: Induction charging as a means of charging batteries, or providing real time power, in a wireless and remote fashion. This process can be used to create revenues by way of infrastructure service fees, which are paid by drivers of smart cars that wish to charge their vehicles batteries while driving on Nevada Highways. • A4b: Real time freight management and tracking will not only enable the State to monitor freight traffic for its own interstate commerce purposes, but also enable the State to provide real-time data to shipping companies (for a fee), for purposes of creating and maintaining more efficient logistics systems of their own. • A4c: Air space tracking, creation, and maintenance of low altitude air corridors for taxation and air corridor usage fees. The use of low altitude drones for personal and commercial use is a very real and viable direction in the development of the National Intelligent Transportation Infrastructure of the near future. Low altitude Air space use is already increasing, and will inevitably develop into a taxable source of commerce. With the increase of congestion in our skies, the S.U.B. Array is a good fixed position platform, in which to facilitate the creation of a new low altitude interstate system for these drones to operate commercially. No other system is currently in place to tackle, or even address, such issues. As more of these drones appear on the scene, very real Homeland Security issues regarding clandestine flights of personal craft will need to be addressed, simply to maintain our National Security around sensitive installations (many, of which, are in Nevada). The S.U.B. Array, could track, and report all straying vehicles of this nature. Conversely, local public safety organizations will need a way, in which to catch and convict users of drones which utilize these types of craft for illegal activities that are, as of yet, unknown, or currently, unenforceable.

50. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)Cont… • Q; Isn't a photovoltaic power generation option, only good for daytime use? • A; This system is intended for use as a 24 hour a day system. There are actually several options for 24 hour energy production. • Option #1 use of Hydrogen production capabilities. During the daytime, when there is surplus electricity being produced, some power is diverted from the electrical grid for a hydrogen production process, in which hydrogen (H2), is split from water molecules, and then stored for night time use by existing natural gas, electricity generation facilities, which are modified specifically to burn hydrogen, or in fuel cell stacks. (This option not only saves existing jobs, but creates new ones as well.) • Option #2 Utilizing the same liquefied salt approach, as the mega concentrator arrays. Salt is heated during the day, using built in heating elements (instead of huge concentrating mirrors). Water is passed through the molten salt, which, in turn, produces steam. The generated steam turns turbines, which, in turn, powers high capacity electricity generators.