Will We Gather Clean Energy from City Streets, Sidewalks and Buildings in the Future? POWERleap Stomps Yes!

April 14th, 2009 by Lucille Chi

POWERleap is a brilliant new concept in city building, sidewalk and street design.

“Think Fifth Avenue powered by the stampede of commuters! By harnessing the inherent energy in routine and recreational activity, POWERleap generates a new form of alternative energy on-site for immediate use. “

You never know, this just may begin in green building design and work its way into public and city and town square planning.

Learn more about how to get involved at POWERleap. Do you think this is the future of city streets and sidewalks? Is it one step next to solar streetlights and speed-trackers?

I think this idea is genius and I am so inspired by the new invention!

About the Author

Lucille Chi Lucy Chi loves good green design, ethical fashion, environmental art and education, renewables, holistic healing and more. She has been dedicating her energies toward finding and drawing attention to all the ways in which products, companies, and industries are moving toward creating a more sustainable world on the global scale, as well as the way individuals are moving toward living sustainably, and healing at the personal level. Sustainability studies: PresidioMBA.org & B.S. Cornell University, College of Human Ecology, Dept. of Textiles and Fiber Science. Contact: lucillechi (at) gmail.com

tommy

Power monitoring power strips… know how much energy you are using…
tommy

Power monitoring power strips… know how much energy you are using…
tommy

Power monitoring power strips… know how much energy you are using…
Amanda

Of course it needs continued innovation, but as said, the potnetial is very worthwhile. I especially love the tire idea. It could supplement electricity for electric cars, extending their range. If people stay so pessimistic, progress will cease to occur. I feel bad for you Al and Russ. Everything was thought to be impossible until it was done. I predict this will be the next best thing in clubs and track fields, put them on gym floors in schools.
Amanda

Of course it needs continued innovation, but as said, the potnetial is very worthwhile. I especially love the tire idea. It could supplement electricity for electric cars, extending their range. If people stay so pessimistic, progress will cease to occur. I feel bad for you Al and Russ. Everything was thought to be impossible until it was done. I predict this will be the next best thing in clubs and track fields, put them on gym floors in schools.
Amanda

Of course it needs continued innovation, but as said, the potnetial is very worthwhile. I especially love the tire idea. It could supplement electricity for electric cars, extending their range. If people stay so pessimistic, progress will cease to occur. I feel bad for you Al and Russ. Everything was thought to be impossible until it was done. I predict this will be the next best thing in clubs and track fields, put them on gym floors in schools.
Thomas P. Galich

Pedestrians for energy great! I have a parallel!

I have an issued US Patent that captures the weight and motion of the automobiles to create electricity.I need help, to build a prototype.The patent was prosecuted on a petition to make special.Very workable.It also includes railroad.One of the worst polluter on this planet can provide free clean energy (24) hrs/per day.Its designed for low speed high density areas, such as on&off freeway ramps, airports,border entry,school drive through.One large fast food would require 35,000

units (2)each.All of the above have electricity on site the energy from the platform would simply be reversed metered back on line as would a solar panel on a roof. It is low profile and could be substratum level with the ground as it is approximately only 5.5″ high.

I can’t knock windmills but they produce on a cycle within a day and utilize 100’s of acres. Solar also a cycle within a day.

Sincerely, Tom Galich
Thomas P. Galich

Pedestrians for energy great! I have a parallel!

I have an issued US Patent that captures the weight and motion of the automobiles to create electricity.I need help, to build a prototype.The patent was prosecuted on a petition to make special.Very workable.It also includes railroad.One of the worst polluter on this planet can provide free clean energy (24) hrs/per day.Its designed for low speed high density areas, such as on&off freeway ramps, airports,border entry,school drive through.One large fast food would require 35,000

units (2)each.All of the above have electricity on site the energy from the platform would simply be reversed metered back on line as would a solar panel on a roof. It is low profile and could be substratum level with the ground as it is approximately only 5.5″ high.

I can’t knock windmills but they produce on a cycle within a day and utilize 100’s of acres. Solar also a cycle within a day.

Sincerely, Tom Galich
Thomas P. Galich

Pedestrians for energy great! I have a parallel!

I have an issued US Patent that captures the weight and motion of the automobiles to create electricity.I need help, to build a prototype.The patent was prosecuted on a petition to make special.Very workable.It also includes railroad.One of the worst polluter on this planet can provide free clean energy (24) hrs/per day.Its designed for low speed high density areas, such as on&off freeway ramps, airports,border entry,school drive through.One large fast food would require 35,000

units (2)each.All of the above have electricity on site the energy from the platform would simply be reversed metered back on line as would a solar panel on a roof. It is low profile and could be substratum level with the ground as it is approximately only 5.5″ high.

I can’t knock windmills but they produce on a cycle within a day and utilize 100’s of acres. Solar also a cycle within a day.

Sincerely, Tom Galich
Tom

Well perhaps this idea won’t replace city sidewalks in the near future (as per the comments about total energy output), but there’s certainly nothing wrong with getting inspired by an idea and want to take it further. Underlying this particular invention are two pretty interesting ideas…

1) Applying residual kinetic energy to useful purposes.

2) Designing built spaces to make visible human’s interaction with their environment.

Both are pretty powerful concepts. While human motion may not provide the sort of power that lighting applications require, they may be able to provide power for portable devices especially as our chips get ever better at using less power.

And expounding on the second idea — what if cities were designed to make visible the human impact — both beneficial and harmful? Would such transparency change the way the citizens behaved and the consumer choices they make?

While the article doesn’t expound on these possibilities, all of us need to look to build upon what is *good* about new ideas, instead of trying to diminish them for their incompleteness.
Tom

Well perhaps this idea won’t replace city sidewalks in the near future (as per the comments about total energy output), but there’s certainly nothing wrong with getting inspired by an idea and want to take it further. Underlying this particular invention are two pretty interesting ideas…

1) Applying residual kinetic energy to useful purposes.

2) Designing built spaces to make visible human’s interaction with their environment.

Both are pretty powerful concepts. While human motion may not provide the sort of power that lighting applications require, they may be able to provide power for portable devices especially as our chips get ever better at using less power.

And expounding on the second idea — what if cities were designed to make visible the human impact — both beneficial and harmful? Would such transparency change the way the citizens behaved and the consumer choices they make?

While the article doesn’t expound on these possibilities, all of us need to look to build upon what is *good* about new ideas, instead of trying to diminish them for their incompleteness.
http://www.greenoptions.com Lucille Chi

Wait let’s scale it down a bit then, think on a smaller scale guys. This idea could be translated to games like the Wii Fit, or electronic dance floors, and perhaps at the very least help to power our electronic essentials.
http://www.greenoptions.com Lucille Chi

Wait let’s scale it down a bit then, think on a smaller scale guys. This idea could be translated to games like the Wii Fit, or electronic dance floors, and perhaps at the very least help to power our electronic essentials.
http://www.greenoptions.com Lucille Chi

Wait let’s scale it down a bit then, think on a smaller scale guys. This idea could be translated to games like the Wii Fit, or electronic dance floors, and perhaps at the very least help to power our electronic essentials.
al

russ is right

This would be a nice eco-publicity/green washing tool, but science is what limits this technology, and all the hopes and good intentions in the world don’t change the fact that in the big picture, the impact made on ghg emissions, and the contribution to power generation, is inconsequential
al

russ is right

This would be a nice eco-publicity/green washing tool, but science is what limits this technology, and all the hopes and good intentions in the world don’t change the fact that in the big picture, the impact made on ghg emissions, and the contribution to power generation, is inconsequential
russ

Dream on along with Peter Pan & Tinkerbell.

The real world works different.

This idea will cost thousands of times it’s cumulative output during it’s lifetime. I am simply saying the carbon cost of this is gross and the output very small.
russ

Dream on along with Peter Pan & Tinkerbell.

The real world works different.

This idea will cost thousands of times it’s cumulative output during it’s lifetime. I am simply saying the carbon cost of this is gross and the output very small.
http://www.feelgoodstyle.com Lucille

Brendan ~ YES! Thank you SO much for the link!! Another AWESOME post worthy project

Russ ~ Try and think optimistically about the potential of this. Yes, in the short term it looks like a risky investment, but if it takes off in the long term and evolves into our building and city planning and construction, things will work out for the best.

For example, perhaps in the near future it could make it’s debut as the New Year party platform for the big Times Square countdown?

Down the road, if this evolves into smart streets, I envision it working with special auto tires to create a new type of energy superhighway… Who knows, so much is possible with innovations like this.
http://www.feelgoodstyle.com Lucille

Brendan ~ YES! Thank you SO much for the link!! Another AWESOME post worthy project

Russ ~ Try and think optimistically about the potential of this. Yes, in the short term it looks like a risky investment, but if it takes off in the long term and evolves into our building and city planning and construction, things will work out for the best.

For example, perhaps in the near future it could make it’s debut as the New Year party platform for the big Times Square countdown?

Down the road, if this evolves into smart streets, I envision it working with special auto tires to create a new type of energy superhighway… Who knows, so much is possible with innovations like this.
russ

This is the idealist with an idea that probably has virtually no practical application and certainly no economic application.

Watch it die a deserved death.

The ‘Leap’ falls into the same group as small windmills which generate 100 or 200 watts per day. Not a bad idea – just a bad idea in itself but a very big loser to spend any money on development.

Before getting all hot and excited one should look into exactly how much power is generated – believe you will be surprised how little it is.

Pouring money down the drain is not what I call green.
russ

This is the idealist with an idea that probably has virtually no practical application and certainly no economic application.

Watch it die a deserved death.

The ‘Leap’ falls into the same group as small windmills which generate 100 or 200 watts per day. Not a bad idea – just a bad idea in itself but a very big loser to spend any money on development.

Before getting all hot and excited one should look into exactly how much power is generated – believe you will be surprised how little it is.

Pouring money down the drain is not what I call green.
russ

This is the idealist with an idea that probably has virtually no practical application and certainly no economic application.

Watch it die a deserved death.

The ‘Leap’ falls into the same group as small windmills which generate 100 or 200 watts per day. Not a bad idea – just a bad idea in itself but a very big loser to spend any money on development.

Before getting all hot and excited one should look into exactly how much power is generated – believe you will be surprised how little it is.

Pouring money down the drain is not what I call green.
http://ourworld.unu.edu Brendan Barrett

Excellent! The same thing is happening here in Japan.

Take a look at this video shot in Shibuya, central Tokyo last December!

http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/2008/12/15/lets_generate_electricity_by_walking/
http://ourworld.unu.edu Brendan Barrett

Excellent! The same thing is happening here in Japan.

Take a look at this video shot in Shibuya, central Tokyo last December!

http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/2008/12/15/lets_generate_electricity_by_walking/
http://ourworld.unu.edu Brendan Barrett

Excellent! The same thing is happening here in Japan.

Take a look at this video shot in Shibuya, central Tokyo last December!

http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/2008/12/15/lets_generate_electricity_by_walking/