Japan harnesses commuters' stamping for power

December 10, 2008

Japanese commuters walk through automated ticket gate of at a Tokyo subway station. Japan has found a way to harness clean energy from thousands of stamping feet that pass through one of its busiest train stations every day. Panels that generate energy from vibrations have been laid by ticket gates through which up to 80,000 passengers pass every day at Tokyo station.

Japan has found a way to harness clean energy from thousands of stamping feet that pass through one of its busiest train stations every day.

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• Bob_Kob - Dec 10, 2008
  • Rank: 1.5 / 5 (2)
  So why don't they just install a few cheap direct solar cells instead of trying to develop technology that is dependant on the movement of masses?
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• Hoarsesenz - Dec 10, 2008
  • Rank: 2 / 5 (2)
  Or, why don't they create vibration-resistant platforms, so that people walking on them don't lose that part of the mechanical energy they are investing walking on those surfaces?
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• ryuuguu - Dec 10, 2008
  • Rank: 5 / 5 (3)
  First off I agree strongly with the last paragraph of the, expect compared to US which did not even ratify the Kyoto protocal Japan, Japanese perfoemance is perfomance is pitiful.Lots of hot air but not much action, and this seems to be more of the of the same, but atleast they trying smething.
  
  @Bob_Kob Tokyo station ticket gates are indooors so direct solar panels don't make sense, but the ticket gates at Tokyo station are always busy during operating hours.
  
  @Hoarsesenz Vibration resistent surfaces are things like concrete, very hard on peoples bodies to walk on because they dont give.
  
  
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• Velanarris - Dec 10, 2008
  • Rank: 4.5 / 5 (2)
  This is a kinetic energy converter system. It's an absolutely brilliant idea. The more people in an area, the more available power. The general idea is excellent, now the technology has to be proven.
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• weewilly - Dec 10, 2008
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  I really see this as an innovative approach that could use some looking into by the USA. Of course most Business Ventures here in the USA want guaranteed big returns very quickly. I guess we would have to hope that some private firms run with the idea or develope it further. The concept of using the weight of people to drive something that can produce a power source should be looked into. After all we have roughly 300 million of us.
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• Bob_Kob - Dec 10, 2008
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  @Bob_Kob Tokyo station ticket gates are indooors so direct solar panels don't make sense, but the ticket gates at Tokyo station are always busy during operating hours.

  
  
  What? Are you stupid? It doesnt matter if the ticket gates are indoor, theres a thing called the outside world where you can put solar panels on and connect it to the 'underground' with cables...
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• barkster - Dec 10, 2008
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  Screw Kyoto... that's just a scam.
  
  Large (piezoelectric?) panels that generate power when walked on by millions?? Now that's brilliant!
  
  Imagine if you placed similar panels directly under the subway rails. Or under a busy highway for street lighting.
  
  http://en.wikiped...electric
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• bmcghie - Dec 11, 2008
  • Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
  "brilliant?" Shame that this is what apparently passes for brilliant these days. How much power can you expect to get from these? A pathetic amount. Tell you what, set up the ticket gates at an increased resistance due to an attached electric motor. I guarantee you'll get more electricity. Even then, this kind of "gimmick" thinking is not going to dent Kyoto goals. Except in the US maybe. How much of their population is clinically obese? More mass, more electricity generated by the floor... maybe I was too quick to dismiss it. :)
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• dbt222 - Dec 11, 2008
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  great news as this could be used anywhere there are crowds passing by on a regular basis like Oxford street.. keep on keeping on..
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