| I ran across this article on using asphalt to obtain solar energy, to reheat the the roadways in the wintertime to keep them ice free, and also extend the life of the pavement. Once the system was operational, they actually realized they were storing more energy than they actually needed, so they began to provide heat to local buildings as well.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/solar_roads;_ylt=AlJQkMHUfpTtyuotw3qN.BVhr7sF
Here are some quotes from the article:
--
A latticework of flexible pipes, held in place by a grid, is covered over by asphalt, which magnifies the sun's thermal power. As water in the pipes is heated, it is pumped deep under the ground to natural aquifers where it maintains a fairly constant temperature of about 68 F. The heated water can be retrieved months later to keep the road surface ice-free in winter.
--
--
Solar energy collected from a 200-yard stretch of road and a small parking lot helps heat a 70-unit four-story apartment building in the northern village of Avenhorn. An industrial park of some 160,000 square feet in the nearby city of Hoorn is kept warm in winter with the help of heat stored during the summer from 36,000 square feet of pavement. The runways of a Dutch air force base in the south supply heat for its hangar.
--
Below is a brochure I found on the system:
http://www.roadenergysystems.nl/pdf/RES%20(E).pdf
It's a big project, and more complicated than it first seems. But smaller scale applications might possible for driveways and sidewalks...just having a good place to store the water seems key. Anybody have an indoor pool? Haha... |
|
|
Total Views
|
|
138 Scoop users have viewed this posting.
|
|
