Students at Brown University have found a novel way to generate clean energy.
According to Kristin Toussaint of Fast Company, the college has installed eight SportsArt machines in the Nelson Fitness Center on campus. The new hardware takes kinetic energy from treadmills, rowing machines, and stair machines and converts it into electricity.
The initiative was powered by senior Elina Pipa, who took a class on climate solutions.
"The place where I felt like I could make a difference and really be passionate about implementing this project was Brown," Pipa said. "I really hoped to make my pitch come true, if possible."
SportsArt's site says its equipment can convert 74 percent of the human energy used during a workout into renewable energy, producing 220 watt-hours of electricity per hour of workout. According to a study from The Public's Radio, a 30-minute walk using the equipment can generate enough electricity to power a lightbulb for six hours.
As more and more institutions look to make a green energy push, you can expect to see more of these unique solutions in the hunt for sustainable, renewable energy sources. From passive and net-zero buildings and retrofittings, to the surging implementation of solar resources, organizations worldwide are committing more resources to going green.
Just down the road from Brown, Bentley University in Massachusetts has agreed to a deal with a wind farm in Maine to receive 100% clean energy to power their campus.
At Brown, the pilot program was such a rousing success that they're adding another 17 machines next year.
"It was super-exciting because you could see that there is an impact," Pipa said, per Toussaint in Fast Company. "When you see that even your gym equipment can do something ... you start seeing that it is possible to have habits in your life that are positive for the environment, and [that can] help push people away from some of the climate pessimism."
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