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Bianca Bartz
Asphalt for Energy - Road Energy System
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Think of how hot the pavement gets in the summertime, when you take off your shoes, there’s not much your bare feet can do but scurry at top speed as the soles of your feet are scalded. There’s a lot of heat energy that gets sucked in from the sun! Now Dutch researchers have found a unique way to utilize it to heat homes and offices!
The Road Energy System designed by civil engineering firm, Ooms Avenhorn Holding BV, is using the energy from asphalted roads and parking lots. The Ooms product was actually an accidental discovery after searching for a solution for soaring road maintenance costs. They found a way to use the sun’s power to heat water in a maze of flexible pipes under the asphalt. This water remain hot well into the winter when the water can be used to de-ice the roads.
This is so exciting considering the sun is one of the most amazing renewable energies. Don’t be surprised to see more solar innovations in the coming months!
Though it doubles the cost of construction, the system is designed to provide longer life for roads and bridges, fewer ice-induced accidents and less need to repave worn surfaces.
But the same system can pump cold water from a separate subterranean reservoir to cool buildings on hot days.
"We found we were gathering more energy in summer than we needed, so we asked a building contractor what we can do with the extra energy," said Lex Van Zaane, the commercial manager. The answer was to construct buildings near the tarmac and pipe hot water under the floor.
(ap.google)
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Via: ap.google
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