Green energy keeps NJ driveway clear of snow

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NEWS) - With a dry driveway -- no snow, no ice -- there are plenty of reasons Raj Parikh, of Paramus, New Jersey, is smiling. Because while most of us were out shoveling and plowing snow, Raj was tracking his one-of-a-kind geothermal driveway heating system while sitting by the computer inside his house.

Last year, we showed you the first test for this system when it quickly melted away the January blizzard. The house has no furnace or air conditioning. Instead it's all green energy. Solar panels warm rainwater to more than 100 degrees. It is stored in giant tanks below the ground until it is needed.

Raj, a research engineer, has perfected the system to be even more efficient. It clicks on right away when it detects moisture and cold air and drains the water away a bit faster. It is just one piece of this eco-friendly residence. Over the last several years, the home has been completely retrofitted to use solar energy and special insulation and can be completely off the grid.