Despite the fact that we are in the 21st century, mankind continues to use oil every day. It is used to make fuel (gas, gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene), medicines, food, clothes, etc. In principle, everything is fine, because oil is a natural substance. However, refined petroleum products have a negative impact on the environment.
Environmentalists around the world are struggling to find alternative sources of energy. This would reduce the consumption of petroleum products, thereby reducing the burden on the environment. Some positive developments in this direction are already there. Electric cars and solar panels are the most popular things used today. But we want to tell you about sources of energy that you definitely haven’t heard about.
Joules from turnstiles
Scientists in Japan have long paid attention to the daily flow of people at train stations. All of them interact with the turnstile. Therefore, a group of inventors equipped each turnstile at the stations with generators: piezo elements are built into the floor under the turnstiles, which generate electricity from the pressure and vibration they receive when people step on them. Similar technology is already being used in China and the Netherlands. In Natuurcafé La Port, Netherlands, such door generators appeared not so long ago, but each of them already produces about 4,600 kilowatt-hours of energy per year.
Algae for home heating
Scientists believe that algae can be used not only for sushi rolls, but also for home heating. For example, 150,000 cubic meters of biogas can be obtained from 1 hectare of water surface occupied by algae. This amount is enough to heat a small village and there are no emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, algae are unfastidious: they grow quickly and do not require special care.
Luminous speed bumps
This technology originally appeared in Great Britain and gradually began to take over the world. Inventor Peter Hughes has created the Electro-kinetic Road Ramp – two metal plates with an electric generator between them that generates current every time a car drives over the ramp. Depending on the weight of the car, the ramp can generate up to 50 kW. Such ramps can power traffic lights, road signs and even speed bumps.
