Other+Solar+Energy+Uses

Scientist at the University of Rhode Island are trying to find other ways to use solar energy without solar panels. "We have mile after mile of asphalt pavement around the country, and in the summer it absorbs a great deal of heat, warming the roads up to 140 degrees or more,” said K. Wayne Lee, URI professor of civil and environmental engineering and the leader of the joint project. “If we can harvest that heat, we can use it for our daily use, save on fossil fuels, and reduce global warming." The scientists have come up with three different ways to harness this energy. One way is that they wrap photovoltaic cells around the tops of Jersey barriers dividing highways to provide electricity to power streetlights and light up road signs. Another functional way to harvest solar energy from hot pavement is to install water filled pipes under the asphalt to allow the sun to heat the water up. This heated water could then be diverted beneath bridges to melt ice that gathers on the surface and reduce the amount of road salt that is used. The hot water could also be pumped into nearby buildings. “One property of asphalt is that it retains heat really well,” says graduate student Andrew Correia, “so even after the sun goes down the asphalt and the water in the pipes stays warm. My tests showed that during some circumstances, the water even gets hotter than the asphalt.” The third option makes use of a thermo-electric effect to invoke a small but usable amount of electric power. When two types of semiconductors are joined together to form a circuit linking a hot and a cold spot, a small amount of electricity is generated in the circuit.



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