Jeff discovered an article on CNET using the heat absorbed by asphalt roads and parking lots to create electricity and heat nearby buildings. Pipes are run under the ground, and water running through the pipes wisks away the heat. The asphalt is cooled in the process reducing heat pollution (heat island phenomenon). It’s already been used in Switzerland.

According to the study:

“The significance of this concept lies in the fact that the massive installed base of parking lots and roadways creates a low-cost solar collector an order of magnitude more productive than traditional solar cells. The significantly high surface area can offset the expected lower efficiency (compared to traditional solar cells) by several orders of magnitude, and hence result in significantly lower cost per unit of power produced,”

Tapping the hot asphalt jungle for energy