I’m not familiar with the mechanics of electricity generation and such, so I’m curious if there are good reasons why this isn’t possible or useful.
Edit: thanks for the great responses! I gather that the main problems revolve around the fact that it will take more energy to outfit the machinery and feed the people than you’ll get in return.
In: 5
[No](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4O5voOCqAQ). It takes a world champion cyclist all of his strength pedaling for two minutes to get a decently toasted slice of toast. Putting people on bikes to generate power probably wouldn’t even pay back the energy needed to build the bike-generators, never-mind the expense in building them.
[No](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4O5voOCqAQ). It takes a world champion cyclist all of his strength pedaling for two minutes to get a decently toasted slice of toast. Putting people on bikes to generate power probably wouldn’t even pay back the energy needed to build the bike-generators, never-mind the expense in building them.
a human can make a few hundred watt for while, but it’ll take more energy to make the food they need to do it
a human can make a few hundred watt for while, but it’ll take more energy to make the food they need to do it
a human can make a few hundred watt for while, but it’ll take more energy to make the food they need to do it
It can be done.
The problem is that the value of the power made is less than the value of food you need to make it.
In the case you need to pedal aniway, why not? There are gyms that make electricity from the people pedaling in it. Still that’s 1-4 hundred watts per person.
[No](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4O5voOCqAQ). It takes a world champion cyclist all of his strength pedaling for two minutes to get a decently toasted slice of toast. Putting people on bikes to generate power probably wouldn’t even pay back the energy needed to build the bike-generators, never-mind the expense in building them.
At some point in Britain, during the industrial revolution, prisoners were used as labor to do nearly that. They didn’t generate electricity, but they did spin a shaft which could have a generator attached to it. Thoughty2 did a video on it. They didn’t use bikes, they had these stair-climber things, but it was more like they were climbing on the top of a hamster wheel. People were sometimes used inside of giant hamster wheels, and I’ve seen people wind the spring in a pumpkin launcher using that method.
So yes, it’s feasible, but it’s not what anyone would describe as “fun.”
It can be done.
The problem is that the value of the power made is less than the value of food you need to make it.
In the case you need to pedal aniway, why not? There are gyms that make electricity from the people pedaling in it. Still that’s 1-4 hundred watts per person.
At some point in Britain, during the industrial revolution, prisoners were used as labor to do nearly that. They didn’t generate electricity, but they did spin a shaft which could have a generator attached to it. Thoughty2 did a video on it. They didn’t use bikes, they had these stair-climber things, but it was more like they were climbing on the top of a hamster wheel. People were sometimes used inside of giant hamster wheels, and I’ve seen people wind the spring in a pumpkin launcher using that method.
So yes, it’s feasible, but it’s not what anyone would describe as “fun.”
Latest Answers