IEA ES Task 38: Ground source de-icing and snow melting systems for infrastructure

Thermal de-icing and snow melting systems offer alternatives to mechanical and chemical methods for clearing snow and ice from roads, bridge decks, ramps, and other transport infrastructure. Snow melting and de-icing systems with hydronic heated pavement (HHP) are utilized in various countries for infrastructure and other applications, often employing district heating return flow, electric heating, or gas boilers as heat sources. Alternatively, the ground can serve as a heat source for HHP systems, with or without the aid of heat pumps. These systems may also utilize the pavement as a solar heat collector in the summer, thereby cooling the road surface and prolonging the lifespan of asphalt roads by preventing rutting. In 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) initiated the international collaboration project Task 38 - Ground Source De-Icing and Snow Melting Systems for Infrastructure. Sweden, Turkey, Italy, Germany, France, and Belgium are part of this collaboration project. This paper provides an overview of the work within Task 38 and the current state-of-the-art of ground source de-icing and snow melting systems for infrastructure.