Why are sports clubs (gyms) are load, not generator, on the grid?

[EnumaElish]

Moderator, perhaps it's time to lock us all up...

 

[Janus]

I wasn't advocating driving out to the gym during a blizzard; just the stationary bike at home. At the very least it can power up a radio during an emergency.

A radio uses very little electricity, so an stationary bike is a little bit of over kill, especially when you could just get one of these:

http://www.ambientweather.com/etgrfryeemra.html

 

[WolfgangsBaby]

Right, and just how much energy do you reckon a treadmill-driven flywheel is going to store? Then, how do you propose you rectify that to 50/60Hz, phase it, and synchronise it with the grid, whilst providing suitable backup for when the customer stops running, and ensuring that the demanded load swings are not imposed on the customer? Oh, whilst ensuring that this is all economically viable of course.

Modern hybrids do not have a flywheel which "converts heat into electricity". They just use a combination of conventional and electric propulsion, and some use some regenerative braking. A ten-tonne tram decending a hill is a far better prospect for such technology than a rowing machine. Do the numbers...

You realize that people have solar and wind power that feeds back into the grid right?

It's not a "can they do it" proposition...they already do it. In fact windmills on farms feed back into the grid and get paid from the electric company for doing so.

So what is the difference between a flywheel on a rowing machine and a wind turbine??

I agree that the costs per person are probably very small as electriciy is very cheap anyway. Here we pay less than 9 cents per kWh. And most gyms use flourescent lighting which is also very cheap (and very low wattage). So the real energy cost for a gym would be the heat which is probably gas.

The point is, you could harness the energy from people working out. It may not amount to that much, but I think it would easily offset the electricity used at a gym.

I have thought about making my own generator to excercise with. If you can build a flywheel connected to a handle like on a rowing machine, you could do curls, bench press, triceps, back and many of the weight lifting excercises and generate electricity.

I plan on adding some type of alternator to my spinning stationary bike to create current to store to a battery. I already have plans on how to get that to work. Check youtube, people have done it, they power their laptops and TVs with their bike.

For the naysayers I say it's possible and definitely do-able. Of course the cost is the most prevailing consideration. Electricity is cheap. So in many ways you could ask "why even bother at all, because people already can afford it".

It's the same with vehicles. Gas is still very cheap...so why bother with hybrids or electric vehicles? Or alternative energy?

 

[minger]

Just a thought before this thread gets closed. Rather than shoot for the whole shebang, why not have the units at least power themselves? Aside from treadmills, any piece of equipment at the place I work out has screens that display all of the good stuff.

Hell, there's no reason that we can't at least power the LEDs inside of the elliptical. At least that way, if a gym is expanding, or re-organizing, they don't have to worry about moving outlets. From a personal point of view, if I owned a personal elliptical (or like thereof) I would like to be able to put it wherever I wanted, not having to worry about cords.

I realize that the little TV in front of me might need to be plugged in, but it seems to me that self-powered workout machines should be more abundant.

 

[brewnog]

You realize that people have solar and wind power that feeds back into the grid right?

It's not a "can they do it" proposition...they already do it. In fact windmills on farms feed back into the grid and get paid from the electric company.

So what is the difference between a flywheel on a rowing machine and a wind turbine??

I never said it couldn't be done. I just said the juice isn't worth the squeeze. There's a big difference between a wind turbine producing a fairly reliable 10kW, and a man on an exercise bike producing an occasional (and unpredictable) 150W.

It's the same with vehicles. Gas is still very cheap...so why bother with hybrids or electric vehicles? Or alternative energy?

Because gas isn't very cheap everywhere. Because repeated iterations of emissions regulations are making alternative fuel vehicles more viable. And because the future of petrochemicals isn't entirely secure.

I fully agree that there is a valid argument for what's being suggested. But I know that it's more of a challenge than some people realize, and that you'll not get enough power out of the device to make it anything much more than a novelty.

 

[WolfgangsBaby]

I never said it couldn't be done. I just said the juice isn't worth the squeeze. There's a big difference between a wind turbine producing a fairly reliable 10kW, and a man on an exercise bike producing an occasional (and unpredictable) 150W.

Well, for one, you could use the power to charge batteries to store it. And if you created viable workout machines aside from a stationary bike for a 300 pounds person, such as weight lifting machines etc, you could probably harness more that a few 100 watts.

Because gas isn't very cheap everywhere. Because repeated iterations of emissions regulations are making alternative fuel vehicles more viable. And because the future of petrochemicals isn't entirely secure.

I fully agree that there is a valid argument for what's being suggested. But I know that it's more of a challenge than some people realize, and that you'll not get enough power out of the device to make it anything much more than a novelty.

No, gas isn't cheap everywhere. But if you look at where it's expensive it's not because the actual commodity is expensive, its because of self-imposed taxes to reduce use.

Electricity is also a problem child. Coal and Nuclear? Those have emissions and/or other problems.


I think you underestimate the power that could be generate. A simple stationary bike rigged up with a car alternator can generate 300 watts. Now imagine someone with giant muscles pushing magnetic resistance or pulling some spinning flywheel, and I think you could generate more power.

Just think, you could have a gym that is free...based on how much energy you create, lol. Or even that pays you!

 

[russ_watters]

You don't generate more energy lifting than you do riding a bike. Think about it this way - if your heart is beating fast, that means you are using a lot of energy. Not a lot of people have their heart rate up at 180 while lifting (if they do, there might be something wrong).

There just isn't a lot of energy to be generated. If you spend every second of your time in the gym on a bike, you might be able to power the light fixture above your head during your stay. That's it. Nothing more. Air conditioning? Forget about it.

Anyway, this thread has run its course.