Scientists in the Japanese city of Aomori have begun exploring the potential of generating electricity from snow to provide a renewable energy source to cover future shortages.

Aomori gets a lot of snow every year, and with that in mind, the research team began testing in the snow-covered pool of an abandoned elementary school to explore the possibility of generating energy from the temperature difference between the snow and the surrounding air.

Information technology startup Forte Co. and the Tokyo University of Telecommunications want to power a turbine with energy that will be generated from a liquid that is first cooled by accumulated snow and then evaporated by the heat of the surrounding air.

In Aomori, large volumes of snow are thrown into the sea after being collected by snowplows and trucks. In the previous fiscal year ending March 2022, snow removal spending rose to a record 5.9 billion yen (41.9 million euros).

“Snow was considered a nuisance, but we can use it“, the city official said.

On December 16, Forte employees laid insulating materials inside the pool to protect it from snow. There will be further research into snow conservation as well as the amount of electricity that can be generated.

Forte said the biggest challenges are finding or building large-scale infrastructure for storing snow and heating the air in the winter. To achieve a large temperature difference, the company will consider using hot springs.

“This is a renewable energy source, unique in an area with a lot of snow. It will also lead to the creation of a new industry,” said Jun Kasai, head of Forte.

Source: Japan Times