Renewable Energy Products: Harnessing the Power of Daily Routine
History
The technology dates back to research conducted by brothers Jacques and Pierre Currie over 130 years ago. They discovered that pressure put on different crystals could generate electricity. Such crystals and ceramics include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, quartz, and others. Pressure works to redistribute the negative and positive charges of crystals. This is a form of renewable energy much like wind and solar power which can be used today as an alternative to nonrenewable sources such as coal and gas.
Innovative Projects
There are companies that produce the so called play products – jump ropes and soccer balls – and come complete with an outlet to be plugged. They generate kinetic energy that can be used to power household devices in remote and isolated areas. Products that produce kinetic energy can power small devices as well, for example, your cell phone. The majority of products work by capturing our bodies’ kinetic energy (in motion). There are other innovative projects developed at universities and by different high-tech companies. Researchers at the University of Florida, for example, have created a backpack that is fitted with shoulder straps featuring piezoelectric materials. With the backpack moving up and down, the pressure on the straps is turned into electricity. This innovative backpack can be used by hikers to generate electricity and power cell phones and other small devices. The military is also to benefit from innovative technologies like this. Soldiers carry equipment that may require some 25 – 28 pounds of batteries. There are also generators that can be fitted on the back wheel of your bike. They come equipped with a lever which directs the generator off or on to decrease or increase the resistance. The generator can produce up to 30 watts of power, and a half an hour ride is enough to charge 3 cell phones.
Other Devices to Generate Free Energy
There are other products that can be used to harness kinetic energy, one being a device that can be strapped on your knee to use the mass and movement of your body and convert it to energy. A 1-minute walk is enough to generate energy to charge your mobile for a 30-minute talk. In fact, this device can be used when playing soccer to generate energy. Use a soccer ball while walking, jogging, or running to generate energy. A charger which you can pack in your backpack is another product that converts movement into energy. You can throw the charger in your backpack, bag, or purse and use it to capture energy while walking. You can charge the device through an outlet. As you can see, there are different ways to harness the power of daily routine and use movement to generate free energy. These devices can be used in the mountain, in remote areas, and in developing countries that lack electricity.