At the Santa Rita do Sapucai Penitentiary in Brazil, prisoners have been given the opportunity to shorten their sentence by becoming human power generators
At the Santa Rita do Sapucaí Penitentiary in Brazil, prisoners have been given the opportunity to shorten their jail sentence by becoming human power generators.
The initiative is centered around two stationary exercise bikes, placed in the courtyard of the penitentiary. The bikes are connected to batteries which can be charged using the cyclists’ kinetic energy.
Once charged, the batteries are transported to the city where they are used to power the city’s street lamps.
For every 16 hours of pedaling, prisoners reduce their total prison sentence by a day.
One day of cycling can power up to six light bulbs, and it’s thought that if the program were to be scaled up, it could produce enough energy to power the entire city’s street lights.
Pending an improvement in the total power harnessed per hour, this human powered method of producing green energy could change the way people around the world choose to get “off the grid”.
Imagine the day when your morning ride could heat the stove for breakfast or your after work stress-reliever workout could power your TV.
Despite the impending comparison to a hamster on a wheel, I say bring it on. I would happily pedal away my PG&E bill.
So, readers, if you could power your home using only energy generated by your own physical strength, would you?
Leslie Langan is an emerging technology addict. She is driven by passion for innovation and ideas that improve the world around us.