Does anyone know about the solar-collectors

Where I live, in Chicago, there are solar collectors being installed every 100 yards driving down certain roads and highways. I've asked police and firemen what they are but they don't know either. I didn't see any electrical device installed that would draw power from it; nor did I see any wires that would connect the power to the grid. I will take pictures of one if need be, but maybe someone here can help me out.

solar-collectors?? hmmmm.....i don't really know what they are, but i'll do some digging on google and see what i can find. I'll post something stuff up about it, if i find anyting

A solar collector absorbs solar radiation and converts it into heat (photo-thermal conversion). The high efficiency solar collector implies maximum absorption of incident solar radiation with a minimum thermal and optical loss. Selective coating characteristics of the absorber and the vacuum insulation are the most important parts of an advanced collector. A selective surface has high absorption (low reflection) for the solar spectrum and low emissivity for the infrared heat radiation. The selective coating used in the collector consists of a very precise thin layer of an amorphous semiconductor plated on to a metal substratum having a low emission for long-wave radiation.

www.thermomax.com...

www.canren.gc.ca...

www.solarserver.de...

google search

Thank you infinite, however, i'm looking for what these collectors are powering. There are hundreds of them around Chicago and nobody seems to know what they're for.

[Edited on 21-8-2003 by 29MV29]

can anyone take some pictures of them with a digi camera?

take some pictures of it. Some of the other members might be able to shed some light.

Yeah, I will. I really don't think they're being used in some sort of conspiracy. But, I don't see the use for them, unless they're feeding the buried wires, that's possible.

its for solar power i think. No conspiracy here then.

Originally posted by infinite
take some pictures of it. Some of the other members might be able to shed some light.

damn thats a corny joke man, i did smile though!!

urban planners have thought for a long time that solar panels should be intalled along roadways. somebody just finally did it. it just power folks. no conspiracy here.

well imagine every single american city having these solar pannels, yet the powerstations are still on, where is all the extra power going, maybe they are going to shut off powerstations soon???

Originally posted by The Blade Runner
well imagine every single american city having these solar pannels, yet the powerstations are still on, where is all the extra power going, maybe they are going to shut off powerstations soon???

they might turn the powerstations off, but im not sure

Must be something to with collecting solar rays for energy saving purposes.

your probably right drunk

yeah he is allmost certainly right, im just saying it would be interesting to know where all the power would be going in my previously said statement..

I've noticed these in England recently. The ones we have are green boxes about 4 feet across, with a 6 foor pole. On top of the pole sits a panel about 1 foor by 1 foot.

I presumed they were for mobile speed cameras. Battery in the base being charged for when it's needed.

Is this what yours look like?

Originally posted by The Blade Runner
yeah he is allmost certainly right, im just saying it would be interesting to know where all the power would be going in my previously said statement..

Nuclear power staions ,houses,you know places of extrem importance.

I think they are for emergency call boxes that are to be installed at a later date.

Zzub, I'll take a pic of one. They're up on standard pine poles but not attached to any electrical poles. they're black, maybe 3 feet long and 1.5 feet wide. I seriously doubt they're for emergency call boxes, there are hundreds of them and none are connected to any type of electrical device.

This is kind of what they look like.