I was reading up on gascort's solar roof and really liked the work he did. However being a complete newbie, I'm not ready to go alternator-less, so I was thinking how I could possibly use a solar panel to gain some significant FE benefits? I have a sunroof that would lend itself perfectly to be used for solar panels. So I came up with the idea of using the solar panels to run the AC, that way I would reduce engine load and still have the comfort of the AC (especially since the AC is most needed when the sun is baking. Also I'm pretty sure my significant other would murder me if I decided to take out the AC!) I also could use the AC at lower speeds without feeling bad about the fact that rolling the windows down would probably be more efficient!
Having come up with the idea, here are my questions:
- Could a sunroof sized solar panel produce enough energy to run a typical car AC?
- Where would I buy the solar panels and at what cost?
- How complicated would the hookup be for a circuitry ignoramus like me?