Tennyson

Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Eyad Almasri
Ryan Paranzino
Steven Reese
Sudhir Nair

Table of Contents

3......Introduction


5..Background


6....Proposal


7........Plan


8......Staffing


9....Budget


10....Request for Authorization


11....References














2

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Introduction

By the end of the 19th Century, Sakichi Toyoda founded what would become the worlds largest car
manufacturing company. In recent years, Toyota has pushed towards more environmentally friendly
products, such as the Prius. Toyota is now a forefront leader in reducing carbon emissions and producing
low emission automobiles. According to Mark Goodman, Toyota has a significant financial motive in
developing [electric cars]. The simple fact is that we are committed in the long term to developing these
technologies which have already proved beneficial for consumers and the planet (Goodman, 2014).
More people are driving hybrids than ever before, because more people care about our environment
than ever before.

Toyotas dedication to creating a sustainable automobile proves its dedication to preserving the
environment. It now has the opportunity to make a significant impact upon the future of the health of
our planet. Currently, a technology is being developed that has the potential to change how the world
views infrastructure. Solar panels have already been placed on roofs and other locations in order to
provide power. Some are taking this idea even further and proposing that we build our roads out of
solar panels. Even as people use these roads to go about their daily lives, the panels will collect solar
energy to power homes and businesses. When solar panels are placed on a roof, they are often subject
to hazards such as hail and high winds. When placed beneath a road, the very glass used to allow cars to
drive over the panels will also protect them from such hazards.

A solar road is comprised of 2 by 2 hexagonal
panels. Each of these panels has three layers.
Beneath these layers is a foundation that the
panels will lay on. As seen in Figure 1 to the
right, the first layer is the road surface, followed
by electronic layers and the base plate layer. The
surface layer is made of a high strength custom
glass. It has been textured and conditioned so
that it will have the same traction as normal
road surfaces. It is weatherproof and can handle
any heavy load pressed upon it. Beneath the
surface layer is the solar panel. It is this layer
that collects the suns energy to power the
system. This is essentially the same as a solar
panel you could find in any other location. The
third layer contains a microprocessor board that
communicates with adjacent sections of the
road and controls the flow of electricity from the solar panel. Additionally, this layer contains a small
heating element that can be used to warm the glass above and prevent snow and ice accumulation.
Other channels can be added to allow for the collection of melted ice, snow, and rainwater (Solar
Roadways, 2014).
3

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Introduction (Continued)

Between the third and fourth layers of the road is a small groove. This is used to connect cables to the
individual panels in the road and transfer the energy to the main power lines. In the future, this power
cable channel can be expanded and used as the channel for main power lines, fiber optic cables to
transfer data, and other similar connections. The final layer is the base layer used as a foundation for the
rest of the road. In some future construction projects, the existing road can be used as this foundation
layer. In this first construction, however, we will need to create a new foundation using cement.


Some observers are worried about the price of the
construction associated with building such solar
roadways. These roads are currently more expensive
than alternatives. However, the cost of solar panels
has decreased significantly over the past few years,
and once production of solar roads begins on a larger
scale, costs would decrease further still. Also, the
cost of traditional road surfaces is increasing with
time. As visible in Figure 2 to the right, over the past
10 years the cost of asphalt has approximately
doubled (Market Intelligence, 2012). Since asphalt is
a petroleum-based product, it is projected that its
cost will only continue to increase with time. Some
projections indicate that it could increase by another
50% over the next five years (Market Intelligence,
2012). Additionally, solar roads produce sufficient electricity to pay for themselves over their lifetime.

Toyota clearly views the environment as a precious resource. It is well known that the use of fossil fuels
such as coal to create electricity causes large emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These
gases cause the suns rays to become trapped in the atmosphere. This process, known as the
greenhouse effect, is currently causing significant climate change. Furthermore, coal power plants
create smog, which is highly hazardous. It is our responsibility as members of the human race to protect
our planet from such toxins. Solar roads provide the opportunity to significantly decrease our reliance
on fossil fuels.








4

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Background

Solar roads are an intelligent, decentralized, futuristic solution that can greatly benefit the whole world.
According to Green Energy, The objective of the solar roadways is to be able to tap and store as much
energy as possible to be used in homes and commercial places. In the heart of this project are the solar
panels that collect this solar energy (Green Energy, 2014). One advantage of this project is that it is will
enable the United States to cut its greenhouse emissions by more than half. This is the core functional
value that has been placed upon the solar roadways project. Toyota will be the first company to
participate in the installation of solar roadways. This will allow us to promote company goodwill and
gain a significant marketing advantage over other car manufacturers.

The Solar Roadways campaign seeks to develop a modular paving system to transform every roadway,
parking lot, landing strip, bike path, driveway and playground into solar panels. A solar grid like this
would generate three times more [clean power] than is needed [in the United States] and among other
things cut carbon emissions by 75 percent (Tapscott, 2014, p1). Solar roadways are roads made out of
structurally engineered panels that would act as a massive energy generator that could feed the grid
during daytime. According to Scott Brusaw, the founder of Solar Roadways, solar road panels could
theoretically be laid anywhere - from motorways and parking lots to pavements and playgrounds. He
believes that such a prospect could transform the existing motorway infrastructure, prevent accidents,
and ultimately help save the planet from an environmental disaster (Kermeliotis, 2014).


There are a few potential concerns associated with solar roads. Some critics worry that a glass surface
would not be strong enough to use as a road. In actuality, glass is stronger than both asphalt and
concrete (Solar Roadways, 2014). The glass used for the construction of solar roads is tempered and
custom made for this purpose. It has been tested to be capable of supporting significantly more than an
army tank. Other critics worry about security, as the solar panels from the road could make tempting
targets. This concern can also be addressed. Each of the panels contains a microprocessor. Even if the
panel is removed, it will be capable of communicating wirelessly with the other panels from the road.
One piece of information that it transfers is its current location. Anyone that stole a solar panel would
have stolen a tracking system that would lead authorities right to them (Solar Roadways, 2014).












5

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Proposal

In order to produce electricity while protecting the atmosphere of our planet, we will replace the
surfaces of a bridge on the intersection of Tennyson Parkway and the Dallas North Tollway. In meeting
this goal, we plan to partner with Solar Roadways. They will manufacture the solar panels required for
the bridge and will train the employees of Absolute Construction, which is the company that will install
the new road. This partnership will allow us to create the first section of solar road surface used as a
portion of a major roadway.

The intersection of Tennyson Parkway and the Dallas North Tollway was chosen for numerous reasons.
It is quite near the new headquarters of Toyota, allowing for greater visibility and a stronger association
with the company. Ice is relatively rare in North Texas, but bridges are always the first places that frost
will accumulate. Because solar roadways are capable of melting ice, it was also important to install this
first system on such a bridge, where this feature will be of greatest use. This area is also scheduled for
resurfacing by the City of Plano in 2018, which means that additional funds will be available from them
to assist with the cost of replacement. Furthermore, the project will significantly improve the road
surface (City of Plano, 2014). Finally, it is a small enough area to be economically feasible, and a large
enough one to be effective as a prototype for future road projects.

While this section of solar road will not produce enough electricity to make a serious impact upon the
output of greenhouse gases in the Dallas area, this investment would come at a critical time for the
development of solar roadways as a whole. By helping Solar Roadways create this first road, we will
allow them to streamline their production process and significantly decrease future costs. We anticipate
that after the completion of this project, Solar Roadways will be capable of making more road surfaces
like the one we propose at Tennyson Parkway without additional assistance. The goal of this project is to
help Solar Roadways make the solar road an economically feasible project so it will eventually be able to
cover the majority of road surface in the United States.

There are many benefits of such a solar road system. First, it would produce more than sufficient
electricity to power the United States (Tapscott, 2014). This could eventually eliminate the need for coal
and nuclear power plants altogether. Solar roads require no large-scale mining or drilling operations,
and produces none of the carbon, methane or particulate emissions that fossil fuels emit (Wright,
2013, p4). As such, the contributions of the United States to global climate change could be significantly
mitigated, air quality could be improved, and national reliance on fossil fuels could be reduced. These
environmental benefits will allow Toyota to accurately depict itself as a company highly committed to
benefiting the environment. This would provide serious advertising opportunities that could greatly
increase sales and publicity.





6

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Plan

We intend to begin construction work for this project in May 2018 as originally scheduled by the City of
Plano. This will allow Solar Roadways time to complete all final testing needed for their system to be
ready for implementation. The road surface we are planning to replace is approximately 25,000 square
feet. This will take us 8 weeks to complete from the first work on site to the completion of the bridge.

We will begin construction on the northern U-turn lane and
work our way south. We will close only one lane at a time,
spending five days to complete each lane. The intersections
themselves are slightly more difficult, and will require
separate time. Each north-south lane running through the
intersection will be given one additional day of work. As
visible in Figure 3 to the right, there are a total of ten lanes
running east-west on Tennyson Parkway including the two U-
turn lanes, and six north-south lanes. This work will total 8
weeks, or precisely 56 days. We will also need to run
electrical wires from within the road structure to the
main power lines nearby. For this purpose we will enlist the
aid of Vault Energy Solutions, an electric company located on
Tennyson Parkway. The electrical work can be done while
completing the rest of the construction.

Additionally, at the beginning of the project we will host a groundbreaking event on location in order to
increase the publicity of both the project and Toyota. This will take place on May 7, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.
Present will be key members of Toyota such as Akio Toyoda, our CEO, the founder of Solar Roadways,
Scott Brusaw, members of the Chamber of Commerce, and the mayor of the City of Plano.



Figure 4: Timeline of solar road construction

Groundbreaking
May 7, 2018

Begin
Construchon
May 8, 2018

Eastbound Lanes
Complete
June 1, 2018

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Westbound Lanes
Complete
June 26, 2018

Project Complete
July 2, 2018

Staffing

Donna Reed will be the Toyota manager who will oversee the entire project. Her experience managing
full lifecycle projects will benefit her greatly in this capacity. Absolute Construction will be responsible
for the staffing of construction workers for the Tennyson Parkway Bridge. Solar Roadways will train
them on how to set up the solar panels with electrical connections. We will have a civil and electrical
engineer from Solar Roadways on site for the entire project to help plan and complete the work.

Vault Energy Solutions will manage the electric wiring. Solar Roadways will accommodate all training
necessary for the project at no additional cost. We plan to have two police officers from Plano Police
Department for safety and traffic management during construction.

During the groundbreaking event, Toyota will employ one supervisor, four individuals responsible for
snacks and beverages, two to set up and coordinate the event, one to run the sound system, one to
hand out nametags, and one to call and track RSVPs. All Toyota employees working the groundbreaking
event will be paid in 3 vacation days. Two photographers will be at the event for publicity. Two members
of the Plano Police Department will provide security for the groundbreaking event. Hardhats, shovels,
sound system, projector, and the nametags will all be provided for free by Absolute Construction and
Toyota.

After completion of the groundbreaking event, we will hold a press conference, where two Toyota
representatives will speak about the finances and benefits of the project. The mayor of Plano and the
founder of Solar Roadways, Scott Brusaw, will also speak about the impacts of the project.



















8

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Budget

Cost Per Unit

Quantity

Tent

$ 2,488

$ 2,488

Photographer

$ 500

$ 1,000

Snacks & Beverages (per person)

$ 25

40

$ 1,000

Subtotal

Materials

Cost Per Unit

Quantity

Solar Panels

$ 278.40

6250

$ 1,740,000

Wires (yds.)

$ -

2088

$ -

Subtotal

Feet
Square

Construction

$ 8

25,000

$ 200,000

Wiring

$ 6

25,000

$ 150,000

Labor

City of Plano

Contributors

Cost of Labor

Chamber of Commerce
Toyota
Subtotal

Returns
Per Year

Total

$ 1,740,000

Subtotal

Total

$4,488

Groundbreak-
ing Event

$ 350,000

Total

$ (500,000)

$ (795,000)

$ (795,000)
$ (2,090,000)

Price

Electricity1 ($0.117/kwh)

$ 301,022

Advertisement (5 ads per mo.)

$ 7,000

Subtotal

Average of 7.8 hours of peak daylight per day (7.8hours/day x 365days/year = 2850hrs/year )

2850hrs/yr x 25,000sq.ft x 36.11w/hr x 0.000117$/wh = $301,022/year

Total

Total
$ 301,022
$ 420,000
$ 721,022

Figure 5: Percentage of investment

Toyota will have a return from electricity revenue of $114,388
per year for its 38% share of the project plus $420,000 for the
advertisement revenue. We will also make use of this road in
advertising campaigns. This will increase sales revenue, but
estimating a precise value is impossible. The groundbreaking
event costs will be covered by Toyota. This will bring Toyotas
total contribution to $799,488.

23.9%
38.0%
38.0%

City of Plano

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

Chamber of Commerce

Toyota

Authorization Request

Toyota is one of the largest firms fighting for a greener, more sustainable way of living in our world
today. Its core values and continued efforts have made extensive progress in reaching this goal. By
helping Solar Roadways create this first road, we help start a revolution in how the world uses basic
infrastructure. The benefits of Solar Roadways are profound to say the least, and it only seems fitting
that Toyota is the company catalyzing this great step forward. Below is the request for authorizing this
truly amazing project; with your approval the most powerful part of the green revolution begins.


Official Approval of Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge


____________________________ ________
Akio Toyoda, CEO of Toyota Date


____________________________ ________
Chris Balliger, CFO of Toyota Date























10

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal

References

City of Plano. (2014, June 28). Council agendas. Retrieved July 20, 2014 from
http://planotx.org/City_Hall/agendas/CouncilAgendas/AgendaItems/Forms/AllItems.aspx

Clean Green Renewable Energy. (2014, January 1). Futuristic Benefits of Solar Roadways. Retrieved
from http://cleangreenenergyzone.com/futuristic-benefits-of-solar-roadways/

Current Results. (2014). Average Annual Sunshine in American Cities. Retrieved from
http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/US/average-annual-sunshine-by-city.php

Economagic.com: Economic Time Series Page. (2014, March). Average Price: Dallas-Fort Worth, TX;
Electricity per KWH; NSA. Retrieved from http://www.economagic.com/em-
cgi/data.exe/blsap/APUA31672610

Goodman, M. (2014). Thank Toyota For Continuing Commitment to Environmentally Friendly Cars.
Retrieved from http://forcechange.com/34931/thank-toyota-for-their-continuing-commitment-
to-environmentally-friendly-cars/

Kermeliotis, T. (2014, May 12). Solar-powered roads: Coming to a highway near you?
CNN Tech. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/12/tech/solar-powered-roads-
coming-highway/

Kobliski, K. (2006, January 17). Outdoor Billboard Advertising. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/83100

Solar Roadways. (2014). Frequently asked questions. Complex Cortex Designs. Retrieved July 21, 2014
from http://www.solarroadways.com/faq.shtml

Tapscott, D. (2014, June 16). The Solar Roadways Campaign: What Does It Mean for the Fight Against
Climate Change?. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/don-
tapscott/solar-roadways-climate-change_b_5499173.html

The simple introduction of the Toyota Motor Corporation. (2011, August 11). Retrieved from
http://www.aierfu.cc/en/NewscenterDetails.asp?newsid=93

11

Tennyson Parkway Solar Bridge Proposal