Electrical+Generators+Mounted+on+Bicycles

=1. Introduction = toc  In recent years, people have become much more aware of how energy is generated, especially electricity. Sustainable sources of energy are now front and center when discussing energy in general. However, most of the technologies (i.e., solar, wind) are quite expensive for the average individual to invest in them. An affordable and relatively simple technology for the public to have access to renewable energy is an Electric Generator Mounted on a Bicycle (EGMB), which takes advantage of human mechanical power. This paper will discuss their origins, current examples, advantages, and shortcomings.

=2. Origins =

Before the widespread of electricity humans had to rely on their own mechanical power or that of animals to do work. When bicycles were invented they were quickly established as one of the most efficient modes of transportation, such efficiency was achieved by using pedaling. Also, during this time pedal-powered machinery became quite popular out of sheer necessity. However, this changed once electric generators were invented. Most of these machines were forgotten and stopped being used altogether. As consequence, pedaling to generate power was relegated to being used as an educational tool. But, these generators were not practical because they could only be used to power lightbulbs and were quite bulky.

=3. Current Examples =

 Lately, EGMBs are being revisited and in fact researched by some universities and organizations. However, most of this research is being done outside the United States in places where electricity is not as easily accessible. Two of the most prominent examples are Hans Free Electric and HPEGS.

Hans Free Electric
 Hans Free Electric is a trademarked product sponsored by the organization Billions in Change. They claim that their version can power lighting, and charge some consumer electronic devices, such as laptops and cell phones for 24 hours by pedaling for 1 hour. However, little or no technical specifications about their product is given. Their produced models are being tested in pilot programs in India to improve them.

HPEGS


 The Human Power Energy Generator System mounted on a bicycle is the technology developed by two researchers at the department of electrical engineering at Kun Shan University, Taiwan. This technology improves upon already existing models that rely heavily on friction. To do this, they installed the generator on the hub where it does not interfere as much with the bicycle frame and balance. Their EGMB can generate up to 300 Watts (W) of power. The generator is only 20 cm. wide and the cost of the materials was around $300 dollars. It was tested indoors and outdoors on a commercially available bicycle. The results of their testing were promising. They used different speeds and mounting configurations and achieved 300 W at 790 rpm, and 100 W at around 200 rpm, which roughly translates to 20 to 25 km/hr depending on the diameter of the wheel. To extend the utility of the generator, a battery pack was added. They used a 12 Volt 100 Amp-hour lead-acid battery. It takes 6 hours of pedaling at 400 rpm to fully charge the battery. The battery can power a 20 W fluorescent light bulb for 60 hours, a 150 W 37-inch LCD TV for 8 hours, and a 2000 W air conditioner for 0.6 hours.

 Other examples exist, but most of them are briefly mentioned in mainstream media articles or reports. One example worth noting is the use of EGMBs out of necessity during the Occupy Wall Street movement. During these protests, the people participating in them had no reliable method to power their electronics after the police seized their conventional electrical generators. Those EGMBs had similar technologies and produced comparable results, but were less impressive than the ones mentioned above.

=4. Advantages =

There are many advantages for using EGMBs, the most important being dependability. This technology does not need much maintenance; it is nowhere as complex as fossil fuel powered generators. It depends mainly on human mechanical energy, which makes it perfect for emergencies, such as power outages caused by deliberate or accidental human error or natural disasters. Also, they can be part of an off-the-grid electrical system to supplement power when wind and solar energy are not exploitable. Another advantage worth noting is their size. Most of these devices do not occupy more space than a bicycle. In the case of HPEGS, they can easily be added on to commercially available bicycles. However, since there are many devices out there that are DIY their size could be much smaller.

=5. Shortcomings =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Despite their possible advantages, there are many shortcomings that need to be addressed. To begin with power generation, despite the best efforts put on generating as much power as possible, these devices fall short. Humans are not the best in transforming energy such as food into electricity. Even as much as 300 W is nowhere near to what is needed to power an average American home. [|As it can be seen on this link:] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another problem that arises from extending the utility of the device is the need for batteries. Currently, lead-acid batteries are the cheapest and most suitable for any off-the-grid system. They are necessary to take full advantage of any renewable source of energy, be it solar, wind, etc. However, as stated in the article, Energy consumption and emission of pollutants from electric bicycles, their increasing demand in China have caused problems. The article suggests that more research should be placed on the optimization and manufacturing of batteries to reduce the pollution that will surely come as consequence of using them. Moreover, the article, The lead-acid battery industry in China: outlook for production and recycling states that both, newly produced and recycled lead cannot keep up with demand. It suggests that at the current rates, recycling of lead for such batteries must speed up to meet demands. Which can be done either by merging smaller recycling plants or ban them altogether to optimize this process since some of them operate illegally without any regulation.

=<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Conclusion =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After researching this topic, it has become clear that there isn’t much serious research and development being done. This is understandable because this technology is not as promising as others, such as wind and solar power which require no human input. Despite this, it can be safely said that it could have a potential niche market in the U.S. However, in other parts of the world, pedaling is still being used as the main source of energy for work. The components to manufacture even a rudimentary EGMB are not cheaply available in poor countries as consequence they must rely on what they can get. For example, in Guatemala bicimaquinas (pedal-powered machines) are used to carry out farming processes as explained in the article Bicycle Power for the Farm.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In conclusion, EGMBs leave much to be desired and have not been researched enough. As they are now they are not meant to replace wind or solar power. They supplement them, they are a failsafe. When all else fails, they can be quite useful and are cheap enough to be built by enthusiasts.

= = =<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7. References =

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bicycle-power for the farm. 2014. Appr. Technol. 41(1):39-42. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bush S. 2006. Pedal-powered generator rates 30W. Electronics Weekly. (2235):8. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">F N. 2016 Oct. 7 Shocking Facts About Bicycle Generators. Off the Grid News. [accessed 2017 Mar 20]. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Frank A. 2016 Dec 8. Could You Power Your Home with A Bike? NPR. [accessed 2017 Mar 20]. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hsieh MC, Jair DK. 2014. Design and Realization of A 300 W Human Power Energy Generator System on a Bicycle. Energy and Environment Research 4. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Li TZ, Qian F, Su C. 2014. Energy consumption and emission of pollutants from electric bicycles. Applied Mechanics and Materials. 505-506:327-33. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Martin, M. J. 2012. Life after generators. Alternatives Journal, 38(5), 10-11. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pedal Powered Farms and Factories: The Forgotten Future of the Stationary Bicycle. 2011 May 25. LOW-TECH MAGAZINE. [accessed 2017 Mar 20]. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Hans Free Electric™ bike: Solution overview. 2015 Sep 30. YouTube. [accessed 2017 Feb 24]. [] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tian X, Wu Y, Gong Y, Zuo T. 2015. The lead-acid battery industry in China: outlook for production and recycling. Waste Management & Research 33:986–994.