SUN POWERED BYWAYS

Turning Pavement Into Energy
Gabriel Perna, November 10, 2010 (International Business Times)

"…Heat from pavement is one reason city temperatures are often warmer than nearby suburban or rural areas…[R]esearchers at the Univeristy of Rhode Island hope to turn this heat into solar energy that can power streetlights, illuminate signs, heat buildings and melt ice.

"…The researchers have looked at both simple and complex approaches to harvesting the pavement heat into energy. One idea involved wrapping flexible photovoltaic cells around the top of Jersey barriers dividing highways to provide electricity to power streetlights and illuminate road signs…"

from Interseasonal Heat Transfer (click to enlarge)

"The team also has looked at embedding water filled pipes beneath the asphalt and then allowing sun to warm the water. The heated water could then be piped beneath bridge decks to melt accumulated ice on the surface…[and] reduce the need for road salt.

"The heated water could also be used in nearby buildings to satisfy hot water needs or turned into steam to turn a turbine into a small powerplant. A prototype of such a system was built by [a] URI graduate student…"

Instapower’s solar studs power LED highway lights (click to enlarge)

"The URI researchers also explored using thermo-electric materials in the roadway at different depths. These materials would be placed in both hot and cold locations to generate a current.

"The team also looked at replacing asphalt roadways with roads made of large, durable electronic blocks that contain photovoltaic cells, LED lights and sensors…[T]his would take time and money, but is doable…[A] group in Idaho made a driveway out of these materials for $100,000…"