Good evening, Received this from a list I read, we've talked about it here at WVU - anyone ready to do it? ( by that I mean is there money to pay for it somewhere?) Nick
May 18, 2009 12:19 PM
From The Seattle Times: The University of Oregonis the latest in a growing number of college campuses and exercise clubs where workouts produce watts. Splitting the $14,000 cost with a local utility, the school has retrofitted 20 elliptical machines to generate electricity.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009231642_sweat18m.html
The power from each machine in the Student Recreation Center goes through a converter that turns DC into AC, and a meter to keep track before it flows into the grid. The amount of electricity produced is small. The university estimates that 3,000 people a day on 20 machines would generate 6,000 kilowatt hours a year, enough to power one small energy-efficient house in the Northwest. But it fits in with other sustainability projects, such as solar panels on the rec-center roof, and a sense of being green among students.
Find this article at: http://www.asumag.com/dailynews/university-oregon-exercise-equipment-energy-...
-- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-685-8954 --