The U.S. Department of Energy recently reviewed the impacts that snow caused on solar power panels.

They found out that in light snow conditions, the snow helped generate more power overall. In contrast, they also found that heavy snowfall currently created a problem for the panels.

CleanTechnica reported in 2012 that snowy conditions can increase productivity with solar power panels. It does seem that the reflection of the snow would aid to the amount of solar (photovoltaic) cells available for the panels to collect.

As technology continues to advance, the materials and methods that the panels are used will soon capture the best of both worlds in icy conditions.

Solar panel grids have also been used for roadways. The National Geographic reported on the expansion of solar panels on the road in parts of Europe.

The combination of creating panels for the roadway that could melt snow would also eliminate the need for each city to plow the roads during heavy snow storms. As the technology and the material continue to evolve, it will be interesting to see how it helps different areas of life.

Watch over the video on this topic with the U.S. Department of Energy on YouTube.