Could Gyms be generating electricity ?

Question

exercise bikes. rowing machines treadmills and the like could be modified to generate electricity.

Could we then recieve a payment from the electric company for the power we've generated into the grid.

Answer 1

What a great idea. People could go to the gym and work out and at the same time they could be earning electricity which could be deducted from their monthly electric bill. Motivation for working out ...to reduce your electric bill!

...there could be home units and the kids and parents could all earn electricity money.

Schools could get in on it too. Think of all the kids they have for PE.

Answer 2

good idea man i give u mucho props , and yes they can with all the machines uve listed, even more anything tha causes friction can pretty much generate electricty

Answer 3

Interesting, why don't you work on that, it may be practical to supply free, clean, and renewable energy to the gym.

Answer 4

its great that u mentioned this because this idea was first introduced to me like a few years ago of a 30 second bike pedaling can generate electricity to light up a bulb for a few minutes and i thought it was a great idea.  til this day i always wonder why all of those gyms with members always on those aerobic machinery can't just use their energy put into pedaling and walking into electricity?  maybe this idea is still fairly new but i think it would be an innovative way to make some energy in the future

Answer 5

you wouldn't, the gym would. and they'd still charge you for exercising.

but when you drive to the fym it kinda defeats the purpose...:)

Answer 6

goin with Bob on this and like how long is a gym open anyway

Answer 7

u know that a good idea for generating more electricity. But don't think that have to get a bill for it because we the practioners are the ones behing generating it.

but its good idea, might happen someday

Answer 8

25 calories per hour is the equivalent of .03 watts.    The amount of payment would not pay for the check.  You might, however, produce enough to power some low wattage lights.

Answer 9

Take a look at Brian's first link.  The cost of converting the gym work to electricity and moving the power to the grid is much much greater than justified by the available power.

People may be doing it, but it's a gimmick, not a serious thing.  It's so wasteful that it no doubt is a net increase in global warming due to the overhead of making/transporting the equipment.

Answer 10

Yep, it's not only possible, some gyms already do it.

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/200...

http://articles.news.aol.com/business/_a...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4900...

http://www.gadgetgrid.com/2007/03/03/get...