Netherlands Train Station Features World's First Energy-Generating Revolving Door

I’ve noticed an increasing trend recently of people trying to squeeze out energy from every possible nook and cranny. The latest example of this is the world’s first energy-generating revolving door located at Natuurcafe La Port in the Netherlands.

The door, which will provide energy savings of about 4600 kWh each year, is part of a larger sustainable refurbishment of the railway station.

Natuurcafe’s door uses a generator that is driven by the energy applied when people pass through. Supercapacitators store the generated energy and provide a power supply for the ceiling’s LED lights. If the LED lights use up all the stored energy, the control unit switches to the building’s main energy supply.

A large display inside the railway station shows how much energy is being generated by the revolving door as a service to curious patrons.

Personally, I’d like to see the Natuurcafe amp up its energy-generating capacity with a piezoelectric floor.

Photo Credit: Natuurcafe La Port

Ariel Schwartz (374 Posts)

Ariel Schwartz was formerly the editor of CleanTechnica and is a contributor at Fast Company, Inhabitat, Triple Pundit, SF Weekly, and NBC Bay Area Online. A graduate of Vassar College, she has previously worked in publishing, organic farming, documentary film, and newspaper journalism. Her interests include permaculture, hiking, skiing, music, relocalization, and cob (the building material). She currently resides in San Francisco, CA.

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http://www.headybrew.net Headybrew

It’s symbolic, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s symbolic in the way President Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the roof of the whitehouse, as a symbol of commitment to change. Unfortunately Ronald Reagan showed us what he was committed to when he became president and immediately had them removed.

I’m sure the “large display” inside the station probably uses more power than the door generates. But the door is a symbol of commitment to change that sends a message to people. And that’s an important message.
http://www.headybrew.net Headybrew

It’s symbolic, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s symbolic in the way President Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the roof of the whitehouse, as a symbol of commitment to change. Unfortunately Ronald Reagan showed us what he was committed to when he became president and immediately had them removed.

I’m sure the “large display” inside the station probably uses more power than the door generates. But the door is a symbol of commitment to change that sends a message to people. And that’s an important message.
Bryan

It’s not idiotic and it’s not a tiny amount of electricity. 4600 kwh is roughly the output of 20 solar panels. The resources to produce the generator are incremental to the cost of producing any revolving door. I’d have to agree with Clackpot on the door producing this much energy – I believe it’s an overall figure that also takes into account how much energy they save with LED lighting.
Bryan

It’s not idiotic and it’s not a tiny amount of electricity. 4600 kwh is roughly the output of 20 solar panels. The resources to produce the generator are incremental to the cost of producing any revolving door. I’d have to agree with Clackpot on the door producing this much energy – I believe it’s an overall figure that also takes into account how much energy they save with LED lighting.
Clackpot

As has been observed elsewhere, the numbers don’t add up.

Neither does the kind of sloppy journalism that quotes figures such as 4600kWh without even bothering with a back-of-an-envelope verification of the figures.

4600kWh per annum works out at 12kWh per day, 365 days of the year, or a mean 500w 24/7. Which would be roughly the output of one adult pushing the door with all their available strength, all the time, for a whole year, 24 hours a day.

Unless there are other details we don’t know about it just ain’t credible.

Have fun.

–

Clackpot
Clackpot

As has been observed elsewhere, the numbers don’t add up.

Neither does the kind of sloppy journalism that quotes figures such as 4600kWh without even bothering with a back-of-an-envelope verification of the figures.

4600kWh per annum works out at 12kWh per day, 365 days of the year, or a mean 500w 24/7. Which would be roughly the output of one adult pushing the door with all their available strength, all the time, for a whole year, 24 hours a day.

Unless there are other details we don’t know about it just ain’t credible.

Have fun.

–

Clackpot
Paul

Forget Naysayers,

I think it’s a brilliant simple idea, requires next to no re-engineering, uses run-of-the-mill technology (ie cheap) and in a busy building it will be spinning almost constantly during business hours which, of course, is exactley when the lighting is required.

10 points!
Paul

Forget Naysayers,

I think it’s a brilliant simple idea, requires next to no re-engineering, uses run-of-the-mill technology (ie cheap) and in a busy building it will be spinning almost constantly during business hours which, of course, is exactley when the lighting is required.

10 points!
xoc

That’s idiotic. The tiny amount of electricity generated will never pay back the electricity invested in producing it in the first place. Its a stupid gimmick.
xoc

That’s idiotic. The tiny amount of electricity generated will never pay back the electricity invested in producing it in the first place. Its a stupid gimmick.