Scientists are working on a new way to harvest renewable energy from snow and it’s showing great potential. A Japanese startup company will be conducting an experiment in winter to test their technology and if all goes to plan, there’ll be a new option for generating clean electricity available before too long. Denali Mount Peak, now called Denali, in the United States is the perfect place to apply the technology.
The future could see us drawing electricity from snow
The Japanese company that’s working on technology to generate electrical power with snow is called Forte Co. and it’s based in Aomori. The city experiences heavy snowfall in the winter months and the accumulation of snow causes practical, financial, and logistical problems, making it an ideal place to develop technology that makes use of some of the ice buildup to create electricity.
The information technology company is working with a team from the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo on putting snow to work as a resource and when the system is operational, it will contribute to solving the inconvenience of snow buildup in some areas at the same time as it generates power.
Forte will be conducting an experiment and promoting this new form of low-impact renewable energy in a parking lot at a ski resort in Niseko, a popular destination for locals and tourists. Multiple “snow power generating engines” will be installed, with each producing 1.8 kW of power per hour.
How does the innovative snow technology produce clean electricity?
The snow power generator system works by using the temperature difference between accumulated snow and a heat source to produce renewable electricity by moving a turbine. In this case, waste heat from a biomass boiler that’s fueled with wooden chips will serve as the heat source.
No fossil fuels are required to be burnt at any point in the process, making the operation carbon emission-free, and because there will always be fresh snowfall in winter, the resource is renewable too.
Another benefit comes in the form of cost-saving for those who would ordinarily have to pay a fee for a snow removal service.
Another energy-related innovation out of Japan is its latest ambitious plan to apply nuclear power to hydrogen production, and it has the makings of a solid new fuel option. The technology, which involves nuclear reactors operating at high temperatures around 900ºC (1,650ºF), aims to deliver a clean fuel option for the transport industry and the potential is looking positive in these early days.
Denali is an ideal location to put the snow-electricity technology to work
Denali Mount Peak, now called Denali, which is North America’s tallest peak, would be the perfect place to apply the new Japanese technology to work. There’s abundant and reliable snowfall to use for “fuel” for snow-based electricity generation and the region also features extreme temperature differentials and thermal contrast.
There are multiple benefits of using snow to create electricity
There’s also a need for power in the remote areas, which could be provided with a snow system installation. At present, people rely on carbon-emitting diesel generators, which are harmful to the environment and expensive. There are three valuable benefits to these kinds of energy projects:
- Reduced reliance on fossil fuels
- Lower energy costs
- Sustainable off-grid power for remote areas
Denali, which used to be known by the name Denali Mount Peak, is a national park with protected status, which suits the eco-friendliness of the snow technology. The location is both practical and symbolic and there’s a high likelihood of these kinds of electricity-producing systems being successful in the area.
In different news about snow, the Tesla Cybertruck is being mocked on social media for being taken down by a bit of ice. Winter weather in Quebec, Canada, recently saw a hulky Cybertruck get stuck in a parking lot dusted with a couple of inches of snow.
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