Brazilian equipment transforms bike rides into electrical energy
The equipment has already gained prominence abroad in addition to having already been adopted by communities
Have you ever heard that a moving body is a body with disposition and energy? For that expression has never been truer. Professor and electrical engineer José Carlos Armelin, who was born in the interior of São Paulo, created a technology that makes it possible, when pedaling, to produce electricity generated in a sustainable way.
The invention, named Sustainable Pedal, has simple bases. Just attach a training roller (mechanism that allows the cyclist to train indoors) with a 12-volt electric generator to a common bike. In this way, pedaling turns into 127 volts of energy. This already allows the use of various devices, such as LED TV, stereo, video game, lighting, cell phones, notebooks and more. Energy can be used instantly or stored for later use. The equipment is only compatible with 26”, 27” and 28” rim bikes.
The amount of energy produced depends on the physical capacity of the person who is pedaling. For example: after an hour of pedaling at a speed of 20 km/h, the voltage of the device is transformed into 150 watts. However, people less used to physical exercise would generate only 50 watts.
This whole ecological idea can be applied in schools through lectures or in physics, mathematics and environmental education classes. This, according to the creator of the pedal, becomes an attraction for learning, which also facilitates the understanding of the themes of energy, sustainability and energy efficiency.
Recognition
The invention is already successful. In 2009, a band was created that uses music as a communication vehicle to promote environmental education. With the name of CO2 Zero, the group asks, during its presentations, for the public to participate generating electricity through the technology developed by João Carlos.
The street carnival block “Open alas I want to ride” gets the energy to reproduce its songs through the same mechanism. Organized by the creator of the Sustainable Pedal, it parades through the streets of Santa Barbada d’Oeste, the city of the inventor and professor Armelin.
The equipment is also being used even within Brazilian jails as a means of reducing the number of days of sentence. The Santa Rita do Sapucaí penitentiary, in the interior of São Paulo, took the initiative. For every 16 hours of cycling, prisoners of good behavior will have one day less in their sentences.
The Pedal Sustentável was also featured on the American broadcaster CNN, in 2011. The object has already been exhibited at Sesc Ipiranga, in São Paulo, not counting the various competitions that have the participation of João Carlos.
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