1 post tagged “solar energy”

The Chicago Tribune (2 Jan 2008) reported that the Dutch engineering firm Ooms Avenhorn Holding BV is working on a way to extract heat from street asphalt via pipes embedded in the road. Heat is gathered in water passed under the asphalt and stored in natural aquifers, from which it is pumped when needed for keeping the roads ice-free. The system can also be used to pump cool water from underground to keep buildings cool in the summer.  And it could cut back on the need for salting and sanding of roads.

The company found that their pilot project was also generating excess energy, so they started routing the heated water into buildings to augment other sources of heat in cold weather. While the installation currently costs about twice as much as conventional gas heating systems, it results in lower operating costs and up to 50% savings in carbon emissions.