Human Powered Generator

The human powered generator (HPG) is an educational tool we developed to bring awareness of energy efficiency to our community - one individual at a time.

Our chief engineer, Eric (second from left) demonstrates the HPG with the group of students who helped build the first HPG through UCSB's Nano-System's Institute summertime outreach program (www.epsem.ucsb.edu)

The HPG is a modified stationary bike with an electric generator and an array of devices that can be powered by the generator. A "rider" can feel the difference between a 100 Watt incandescent light bulb and a 23 Watt florescent bulb (they both output the same amount of light, but the florescent bulb is more efficient). We observe that once someone feels how much harder it is power a less efficient light bulb, they express an appreciation for more energy-efficient devices. In other words, energy efficiency becomes a personal issue, not just an abstract one.

We have collaborated with LEAPS (Let's Explore Applied Physical Science www.leaps.ucsb.edu) a local educational outreach program in order to bring the HPG to various youth forums - the students receive a brief lesson on energy and how the HPG works. Each student is then given the opportunity to run the HPG and try to power different light bulbs - even the most competitive students are soon exhausted.
 

Eric with members of the Girls, Inc. Science Club. Our UCSB student collaborators are in the background.

We are currently working with a group of high school science students to design and build a smaller, hand-powered HPG. This HPG will be featured at Earthday 2007, and will be used to demonstrate the difference between locally produced food and imported food, in terms of the energy required for transportation.

We are also working with a group of senior UCSB mechanical engineering students  to produce a next-generation pedal-powered HPG. This HPG will also be featured in Earthday 2007, and will be used to demonstrate the energy required to power various types of cars.

If you are interested in having the HPG brought to your school or organization, please contact us.