The grant is awarded for the action entitled ‘Real-time reaction, autonomous and energy-efficient snowmelt technology for lightly and heavily trafficked pavement surfaces.’
SNOWLESS is an automatic de-icing and snow control system comprised of an amorphous alloy high-efficiency electrical heating ribbon, controlled by a smart monitoring system. This system is currently applied to lightly-trafficked pavements such as exit ramps, walkways, and parking lots.
The objective of Snowless is to broaden the system’s usage to heavily-trafficked pavements such as airport runways and taxiways, bridges, local roads and intercity highways.
Three major services will be delivered by SNOWLESS:
- real-time response given that the system can be switched on even before snowfall starts (or ice forms) based on continuous humidity and temperature sensing and weather forecasting
- reduction in maintenance as manual labour for clearing snow or applying de-icing agents will not be required, and
- lower operational costs – because the system functions only when snowy/icy conditions have been detected due to its superior energy efficiency.
Furthermore, the system is compatible with an electrical grid based on renewable energy, thus capable of fulfilling directives 2012/27/EU energy efficiency and 2010/75/EU industrial emission.