Filed under: Cars and Transportation, GreenTech, Alternative Energy
Driving through residential areas, I often find myself cursing speed bumps and their energy-wasting, anti-hypermiling ways. Sure, they may promote slower driving, but when you’re trying to maximize your tank of fossil fuels, they’re anything but friendly. Someday however, speed bumps, potholes, and rocky roads may actually contribute to better energy efficiency. Two separate projects on opposite sides of the Atlantic are working to convert the kinetic energy created by driving over bumps into clean energy.
The first, a research project backed by MIT, is working in conjunction with AM General to create shock absorbers that capture energy and use it to power the electrical equipment in Humvees. Already, researchers say that the shock absorbers generate enough energy to completely replace the vehicle’s heavy duty alternator. Unfortunately, the shocks aren’t quite as effective on lighter vehicles. Across the pond, UK designer Richard Hughes has followed a similar line of reasoning to develop a energy-harvesting speed bump. Rather than slow you down, these speed bumps are designed to bounce up and down as cars pass over them, generating 10-36kW in steady traffic. Estimated energy production over one year ranges from $8,380-$30,171 worth of electricity a year.
[via Earth2Tech]
Harvesting Your Car’s Bump Power originally appeared on Green Daily on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:15:00 EST 0. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
