About the only place to find snow in the Red River Valley this winter is near an obstruction where the incessant winds leave drifts. This part of the state can see 500 hours of windblown snow each winter.
Snow fences play a key role in keeping the blowing snow from clogging highways.
You might have seen snow fences along Interstate 94, or state highways in western Minnesota. Some are simply rows of corn left in a field. Others are structures made of composite materials.
They all have one job: Break the wind so drifting snow piles up before it reaches the highway.
This 100-foot section of fence is dual purpose. Instead of brown rails made of flexible composite material designed to stop snow, this fence is made of 6-inch-wide solar panels with spaces in between to look and act like a fence.
It’s the first of its kind in the U.S., according to Yang.
The drift on the leeward side of this section of solar fence is a few feet deep.
“The function of a snow fence is to keep the snow right here. Right here we keep it close to the fence, very effective,” said Yang.
Not only does the solar fence do a good job of stopping snow, it’s producing a significant amount of electricity each day.
“From our measurements, we have about 20 to 30 kilowatts,” said Yang. “So that roughly can supply one household usage.”
The average electric consumption for a residential home is about 30 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
That finding surprised Dan Gullickson, blowing snow control supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
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Photo Credit: istock-simplycreativephotography
Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Corn, Energy