From NPR, a story about converting gym use to usable electrical energy.

If only all the speed and strength of youth could be channeled into power. Turns out, it can. Some colleges and universities have started converting energy from exercise equipment into electricity.

One of those schools is Drexel University in Philadelphia, where student power runs straight into their buildings’ power grids. Dan Simmons, director of recreation at Drexel, says a typical 30-minute workout on a treadmill can generate enough energy to hold a light bulb for 2.5 hours.

A company called ReRev has retrofitted cardio elliptical machines in a portion of the university’s gym to generate electricity for that area. The energy can be stored, so it’s not necessary for someone to pedal a stationary bicycle to keep the lights on. (…continue reading…)