Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Now This is Sweat Energy!

What if I told you that you could generate usable electricity just by working out on an elliptical machine? You could, but you'd have to be working out at a club that has ellipticals and treadmills retrofitted with the ReRev system. ReRev is short for Renewable Energy Revolution and it's a way to help the environment while helping your body.

When you work out you create kinetic energy. The energy you've create doesn't get used and that's a shame. All energy has the potential to power things and energy you create is no different. This little explanation from the ReRev website explains the process the best.

Climb aboard an elliptical machine or a treadmill, start moving and pretty soon you are creating energy. Kinetic energy is energy of motion and this motion gets converted to DC (Direct Current) that is sent to the ReRev system.




The ReRev system takes the DC and converts it to AC (Alternating Current). AC is the form of energy most homes and businesses use.





Once converted, the AC is sent to a power grid and can be used to power anything in the health club where you're working out. How cool is that?


But how much power can you generate? According to the ReRev website, an elliptical machine that is used regularly at a gym will generate one killowatt-hour of electricity every two days. That's enough energy to power one laptop for 24 hours or a vacuum for 45 minutes. Working out for just 30 minutes will generate enough energy to power a laptop for 1 hour. Just think of all the energy that could be generated by an entire health club!

There are over 180 machines around the country using the ReRev system, primarily in university health clubs. There aren't any close to us but I'm sure they're on their way. It cost about $300 to retrofit each machine and at some universities this cost is paid for by the students via funds earmarked for renewable energy programs. Displays on each machine show every watt hour generated by a workout so instead of watching the time or miles pass you by, you can actually watch energy being generated.

The system was developed by 23 year old University of Florida graduate Hudson Harr who got the idea for ReRev while working out. He's in talks with major US gyms and it's just a matter of time before people everywhere are generating energy the ReRev way. ReRev is only one of a handful of renewable energy businesses this entrepreneur is involved in and he's wasting no time in getting the renewable energy message to the masses.

Just think of all the kinetic energy you've been wasting. You could be powering your computers, cell phone chargers, ipods, and more. I know Mom has wasted and is wasting a lot of energy and if she could get her hands on one of these machines I think she'd work out more. If I know Mom, she would probably even put me on the treadmill and hang Popeyes in front of me to get me walking and generating energy. Keep your paws crossed that this doesn't happen because as much as I love Popeyes, I love napping more than exercising. Energy or no energy, I need my sleep or I won't have any energy.

15 comments:

THE PUGLET said...

My human says she read about a gym in PORTLAND (where JENNY THE PUG lives) that has ReRev machines.

Road trip???

We can fatten up on Popeyes on the drive out there and then generate loads of power at the gym while working off our tubey-ness!

Smushie Ranch said...

Stubby, mom says she's always thinking about this while she's on the treadmill or at the gym. It seems like it would be a great source of energy. For humans of course, not for smushfaces!

Love,
Stella, Gunther and Betty

Apollo said...

Very cool! You know how my Mommy works for IU's Environmental, Health & Safety? Well IU has a sustainability task force. Mommy is going to tell them about this, since IU's RecSports is a very large part of the university. Thanks for sharing!

Apollo said...

I wanted to give you an update. Mommy talked with her dept about it. The Environmental group liked it and passed it on up. One of the board members of the Sustainability Task Force (University funded, which shows their commitment to sustainability) liked it enough to pass it on to the next stage, the Sustainability Energy Working group. They will do the research to put together a proposal and then...we'll see. :)

Kelly said...

That is totally cool, Stubby!
It makes sense to me!!

This reminded my Momma that she REALLy ought to spend a little more time on the treadmill...

Stubby said...

Hi Puglet! All the cool stuff is in Portland, isn't it? I wonder if Jenny has taken the puglets to the gym, not that she needs to work out.

I'm so up for a road trip! Brilliant plan to fatten up on Popeyes. That won't be hard at all. I'll ask Mom if I can take the convertible. I'll fill it up with Popeyes, swing by San Francisco, and we'll head out on the highway!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Stella, Gunther & Betty! Your mom is so smart. Just think of all the energy our parents could generate if they just put their minds to it.

Of course us smushfaces are way to busy to work out. Plus we don't use that much energy do we?

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Apollo! That's so cool that your mommy took this idea and ran with it. Way to go! I can't wait to hear what happens next. YEAH!

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Pearly Poo! Of course it makes sense to you Pearly because you are so smart. Your momma and my mom both need to get with the program, don't they? My mom has no excuse because we have a perfectly good treadmill that she could be on right now instead of reading a silly book. What is she thinking?

Stubby xoxo

Paula said...

We always enjoy your posts Stubby. You are a pug with a blog with a very helpful purpose!

Archie and Melissa said...

hi stubby!
oh what a wonderful post! i love this idea. there is so much energy that we all generate that can be reused. very, very cool!

Stubby said...

Hi Paula & Gang! I'm so glad you enjoy reading my posts. I love finding cool information that I can share with my friends.

Stubby xoxo

Stubby said...

Hi Melissa & Emmitt! You are so right that there is so much energy we create. Mom is always trying to put dusters on my feet so I can clean the floors as I cruise around the house. Now that's putting my energy to good use!

Stubby xoxo

dw said...

I think using gym treadmills and such to generate energy is a great idea! Why not put all those exercisers to good use!!

Stubby said...

Hi dw! I agree that we should put all those exercisers to good use. Just think of all the energy they could generate!

Stubby xoxo