09-07-2008
I was walking across a parking lot recently on my way to a local supermarket. It was an oven; the black asphalt, highly dependent on Middle Eastern oil by the way, was radiating the Summer heat to the tune of about 95 degrees, probably increasing the ambient temperature by 10 degrees.
Manuevering my way among the ponderous SUVs and trucks parked in this cauldron, the scene seemed to be an allegory for mis-managed and wasted energy.
Wouldn't it be perfect, I thought, to harness this heat with some kind of thermogenerator, which could then be used to provide some voltage to the vehicles, or some electricity to the surrounding buildings themselves?
When you get an epiphany, the assumption is that the idea is yours alone. Of course, Science Daily reports that scientists are already researching the issue of recovering energy from the vast acreage of asphalt in the U.S.
At a nearby tecnical college called WPI, they have studied the efficiency of heating water in pipes beneath the surface of the asphalt (where the heat is the highest). It may not be long before we see some kind of application along this line to generate hot water for industrial purposes, or to create a thermoelectric generator.
Here's a quote from the article about the technology's advantages:
"For one, blacktop stays hot and could continue to generate energy after the sun goes down, unlike traditional solar-electric cells."
"In addition, there is already a massive acreage of installed roads and parking lots that could be retrofitted for energy generation, so there is no need to find additional land for solar farms. Roads and lots are typically resurfaced every 10 to 12 years and the retrofit could be built into that cycle."
"Extracting heat from asphalt could cool it, reducing the urban heat-island effect. Finally, unlike roof-top solar arrays, which some find unattractive, the solar collectors in roads and parking lots would be invisible."