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MnDOT: Solar snow fence controls drifting snow, generates power to melt snow
North Dakota State University (NDSU) researchers have developed the electrical arrangement to create solar snow fences. They partnered with The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to implement a first-of-its-kind project in the state. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the story.
MINNESOTA (FOX 9) - North Dakota State University (NDSU) researchers have developed an electrical arrangement to create solar snow fences.
They partnered with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to implement a first-of-its-kind project in the state.
What is a solar snow fence?
The backstory:
Typically, you see solar panels on a roof, but new technology is being studied to build a fence made of solar panels.
Researchers said it acts as a barrier to drifting snow, and even generates the energy needed to melt snow.
What they're saying:
Mija Yang is an engineering professor at NDSU and the principal investigator on this collaboration with MnDOT.
"We built 100 feet of these solar snow fences in Glyndon, Minnesota," said Mijia Yang, professor at NDSU. "Optimized to contain the snow and to prevent the snow from getting onto the highway.
Key findings:
The team monitored the 100-foot solar snow fence installation for 18 months and presented the findings this summer.
The team found solar snow fences successfully performed several key functions. It served as a traditional structure fence by providing a physical barrier to control drifting and blowing snow. This helped to keep the roads nearby clear. The 112 solar panels used in this project generated enough energy to adequately power a medium-sized house. Plus, a unique advantage of the design? It is also set-up to melt snow.
"If we lay out all those snow-melting pads on the ground, it will melt the snow on the top of that. Based on the power we generated, pretty much we can melt two inches of snow per day," said Yang.
Researchers said this self-sustaining system could pay for itself within 10 years and has the potential to help operations and safety on roads, farms, ranches, and homes.
"The benefits you get is the energy generated and also the snow and ice removal operations you reduced," said Yang.
What's next:
MnDOT funded this project. The team said the total cost was roughly $370,000, but most of that was research-related. Materials and installation were a smaller portion of that budget.
They said they are discussing and considering collaborating on future projects and installations.
The Source: This story uses information from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), and North Dakota State University.