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Gyms to Convert Human Energy into Electricity for the Grid

http://oilprice.com -- Energy is used to run everything. Anything that moves or performs some function does so via the use of energy. Energy is never destroyed, but during certain processes it can be converted into different types of energy. Heat energy from the sun is converted into electricity in solar panels. Potential energy in coal is converted into heat energy when burnt, which in turn is turned into electricity. Potential energy in food is turned into energy to power the human body when eaten. Within reason energy can be converted form one form to another with relative ease.

So creating electricity from solar and wind seems obvious because it is common, but what about converting the energy of the human body into electricity? In the gym humans use lots of energy to move weights and exercise. The Great O

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Submitted May 03, 2012 By: WxVette

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FunMyster All-Star Author Indiana Posts:907 Points:73,215 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:39:13 PM Ignore FunMyster Report Abuse How about at home?
preacherjohn Champion Author Modesto Posts:3,990 Points:1,919,760 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:39:04 PM Ignore preacherjohn Report Abuse We'll see ..
esquared Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:8,072 Points:1,971,085 Joined:Jan 2006	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:37:07 PM Ignore esquared Report Abuse Sweat a little and light up the place!
Vitobug Champion Author El Paso Posts:1,955 Points:641,435 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:36:44 PM Ignore Vitobug Report Abuse ok
PoohMcGoo Champion Author Alabama Posts:3,067 Points:801,185 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:35:43 PM Ignore PoohMcGoo Report Abuse Worth a shot.
Ply440GTX All-Star Author Texas Posts:949 Points:309,730 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:35:24 PM Ignore Ply440GTX Report Abuse What about flexible "power panels" between fat peoples thighs that rub together as they walk and say recharge cell phone batteries??? -- or small appliances? Gotta be some way to "create" energy from the movement of body parts rubbing together. There's so damn much of it these days!!!
SovietSunrise Champion Author San Antonio Posts:7,899 Points:1,117,010 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:35:14 PM Ignore SovietSunrise Report Abuse Absolutely amazing.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:10,901 Points:2,132,580 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:34:56 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse People generate far less power than the gym uses just to light the place. A typical person exercising generates between 100-150W. That is less than the amount used in the lights to light the area up. Then you have the dead time between exercise periods. Those gyms in hot regions likely use more power to cool the building than obtain from converting the mechanical effort of the exercisers. And the worst areas would be the pool. 4-6 swimmers for a 24-36'x75' area with 6-10' deck around it. That is roughly 2,500-5,300sqft for 600-1,800W worth of swimmers. Likely 0W after conversion. Its no contest.
feistyfella All-Star Author Georgia Posts:881 Points:194,595 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:32:17 PM Ignore feistyfella Report Abuse Lol. Who's paying for this research again?? Lol, lol, lol.
carman11 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,342 Points:692,700 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:31:20 PM Ignore carman11 Report Abuse WHAT WILL WE THINK OF NEXT. THIS HAS BEEN KNOW FOREVER.
boatmen Champion Author New York Posts:3,085 Points:622,805 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:29:18 PM Ignore boatmen Report Abuse talk about working up some steam
toytech3 All-Star Author Chicago Posts:917 Points:610,820 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:24:30 PM Ignore toytech3 Report Abuse sounds like a good idea
hussainktm Rookie Author Dallas Posts:71 Points:331,840 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:21:28 PM Ignore hussainktm Report Abuse Some gyms are open 24 hours a day they could let people in at a discount on off hours.
USCCRN Sophomore Author Long Island Posts:145 Points:104,240 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:19:32 PM Ignore USCCRN Report Abuse Oh geez us! Now they're trying to create cheap energy using humans exercising as manual labor. So you pay for a gym membership to run on the tread mill which now they retrofitted with generators to produce free electrical energy for the building and the power grid?!
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,927 Points:1,575,955 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:15:23 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse good deal for the gym
clermont40miles Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:10,576 Points:1,772,940 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:13:52 PM Ignore clermont40miles Report Abuse Another drop in the bucket. Go ahead reap the benefit. Not a solution but makes everyone feel good. Green is red.
rf6480 Champion Author Miami Posts:1,534 Points:548,555 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:10:49 PM Ignore rf6480 Report Abuse Get on the treadmill or stationary so we can keep the place lit.
Romey08 Champion Author Virginia Posts:6,311 Points:1,436,490 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:07:17 PM Ignore Romey08 Report Abuse maybe good enough to power the lights
ProRogue Veteran Author Vancouver Posts:382 Points:1,085,990 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:06:23 PM Ignore ProRogue Report Abuse Honestly, I feel dumb right now. It's brilliant in its simplicity. How did I not think of this first?
scottriedel Sophomore Author Tennessee Posts:202 Points:360,080 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:01:49 PM Ignore scottriedel Report Abuse Anyone beginning to feel like a lab rat?
30mpg80 Champion Author Lexington Posts:10,035 Points:1,487,855 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 10:00:05 PM Ignore 30mpg80 Report Abuse Good
mdskier Champion Author Maryland Posts:9,941 Points:1,783,755 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:55:14 PM Ignore mdskier Report Abuse I go to the Gyn 3 days a week -that energy should be good for something. Ellipticals, stair climbers, and stationary bikes are particularly good at generating excess energy.
itsjustme719 All-Star Author Hamilton Posts:611 Points:598,725 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:54:58 PM Ignore itsjustme719 Report Abuse Sounds interesting, but I doubt very cost effective.
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,223 Points:519,600 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:53:02 PM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse Sounds interesting. I'd like to see how much usable energy is produced and at what cost.
crashintuc34 Champion Author Tucson Posts:4,057 Points:812,565 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:52:57 PM Ignore crashintuc34 Report Abuse Beware the matrix.
iamforiu Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,580 Points:712,715 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:51:37 PM Ignore iamforiu Report Abuse ok
justmedc Veteran Author Michigan Posts:382 Points:174,045 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:49:26 PM Ignore justmedc Report Abuse gilligan's island. gilligan used to ride a stationary bike to power the homemade washing machine
blah2blah3 Champion Author Houston Posts:2,611 Points:601,845 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:49:12 PM Ignore blah2blah3 Report Abuse ok
IUVidiot Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,593 Points:710,370 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:48:49 PM Ignore IUVidiot Report Abuse ok
SabrinaHokie Sophomore Author Virginia Posts:132 Points:85,415 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:47:54 PM Ignore SabrinaHokie Report Abuse Very cool! Hope they are successful. If the gyms can run their own electricity, that would be an accomplishment in itself.
paisho6 Veteran Author Oakland Posts:294 Points:37,530 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:46:03 PM Ignore paisho6 Report Abuse Good
themaninthehat Champion Author New Orleans Posts:1,824 Points:472,265 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:41:58 PM Ignore themaninthehat Report Abuse Progress
danreino Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:8,358 Points:1,541,705 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:39:38 PM Ignore danreino Report Abuse How much will that plan be costing the US taxpayers ?
skybiker Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,297 Points:1,560,265 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:38:23 PM Ignore skybiker Report Abuse How about hooking generators to hamster wheels?.....
ttfn5tigger Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:1,908 Points:415,325 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:36:52 PM Ignore ttfn5tigger Report Abuse great idea
John747 Champion Author Chicago Posts:472,395 Points:3,625,885 Joined:Aug 2001	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:34:45 PM Ignore John747 Report Abuse So why don't they tell us just how much electricity will be added to the grid? My guess is that the amount will be so small that it will be meaningless.
NorthglennBill Champion Author Denver Posts:7,432 Points:1,473,145 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:34:31 PM Ignore NorthglennBill Report Abuse Somebody always has an angle. But then, there is no reason to waste all that human energy expended in the gym. If somebody can figure out a way to turn that exercise into electricity and sell it back to the grid, why not?
miiike572 All-Star Author Phoenix Posts:798 Points:525,790 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:33:37 PM Ignore miiike572 Report Abuse Will the gym pay you for energy produced?
nztyraider Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,273 Points:694,825 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:29:22 PM Ignore nztyraider Report Abuse Will the gym members get a membership discount?
Beaveronparade Champion Author Hartford Posts:2,105 Points:635,825 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:28:14 PM Ignore Beaveronparade Report Abuse I don't know it kind of sounds like a cool idea to me. Lord know I sure give off a lot of energy at the gym! Perhaps that could be put to good use.
darkknight1 Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:4,340 Points:896,810 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:27:41 PM Ignore darkknight1 Report Abuse hmmmm. interesting
gass12 Champion Author Omaha Posts:8,394 Points:2,304,690 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:27:12 PM Ignore gass12 Report Abuse This is funny.
boborobot All-Star Author Michigan Posts:501 Points:417,550 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:27:05 PM Ignore boborobot Report Abuse Good luck on this one!
skyking19 Champion Author Little Rock Posts:2,001 Points:1,699,815 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:26:39 PM Ignore skyking19 Report Abuse That's interesting.
leemun Champion Author Utah Posts:5,539 Points:1,041,100 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:23:50 PM Ignore leemun Report Abuse So we are back to running our machines with muscle power. Is the return of slavery next?
slackrl Rookie Author California Posts:6 Points:97,700 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:18:39 PM Ignore slackrl Report Abuse Ok.... So humans should get a discount, and or Receive money for being tapped as power generators Just my thoughts.. Rslack
acvw74 Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,105 Points:689,850 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:17:36 PM Ignore acvw74 Report Abuse Is the Matrix next?
bigLtowing Champion Author Columbus Posts:2,839 Points:592,565 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:16:40 PM Ignore bigLtowing Report Abuse honey get the kids on the treadmill i have to do a load of laundry
jb107 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,554 Points:2,622,875 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:14:25 PM Ignore jb107 Report Abuse There is a new crackpot idea almost every week.
w9med Champion Author Gary Posts:1,128 Points:328,445 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:12:15 PM Ignore w9med Report Abuse No offense, but who cares with the economy the way it is, I have bigger issues
gmcgas Champion Author Atlanta Posts:5,958 Points:1,715,145 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:12:00 PM Ignore gmcgas Report Abuse hummmm
Fedorov91 Champion Author Tampa Posts:1,465 Points:880,835 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 3, 2012 9:09:59 PM Ignore Fedorov91 Report Abuse Soylent green next!