Generating Usable Energy, Just by Driving

"Environmentally friendly renewable energy" be damned! - the system works by introducing additional resistance to the car that the engine must overcome, with a marginal drop in level in the fuel tank compared to the ramp not being there.

Does Sainsburys sell fuel? Oh yes. What a surprise.....

It all depends on how you look at it. I have seen regular speeds bumps everywhere to slow people down in locations where people should not be speeding. Making them create energy is not a bad idea in my book.

Your cup is half empty or it is half full. On way of looking at it sucks the other way seems better but you still have the same end result.

Steve

The cup is more than half empty, dude, stop daydreaming...

I like your answer, don't get me wrong. I agree this generation of power is bogus as it will be supplied by the cars.

It's only the efficiency of electricity being made is about have of what you suggest it is. At best it's in the low 40 % range.

Also the gas engine at 40 % is a bit high too. It must be a diesel to be that good. About 8 - 10% less for gasoline engines at optimum condition.

Regards

A system like this was patented by Krickler in the early 1970's in Pompano Beach FL. His idea was to put them in low velocity deceleration areas in multi-floor parking lots and other with down hill pavement. The trial for Publix proved it to be an inefficient generator in flat areas. In other words they steal money from the customers.

Don't be so fast to write-off dumb ideas. Many times they can evolve into brilliant ones.

Yes I am well aware that the kinetic road plate only takes energy from the moving car and converts it into electric power. No net gain. However what if we could use the concept to reclaim the energy wasted by the same car? Whenever you hit the brakes you are only dumping your kinetic energy into heat (unless of course you have a regenerative-braking hybrid).

If you could somehow install a similar system in the roadway at known high-usage braking points (i.e. intersections, steep downhill highways) you could potentially harness and recycle the otherwise wasted kinetic energy.

The road plate as shown is crude and dangerous for high-speed operation, but it's a start. Now it's our turn to refine the concept and invent a workable solution.

The Publix road plate technically is not "stealing energy from the motorist" if it is used as an electric speed bump. If the car had to brake for the speed bump it already threw away its kinetic energy.

Any speed bump (passive or active) steals energy from the motorist.

The Publix system did not harvest braking energy. The energy absorbed by the system is directly taken from the moving vehicle as it crossed the system. Some portion of the kinetic energy is drawn from the moving vehicle.

The amount of kinetic energy drawn is exactly equal to the additional energy required to be applied to the vehicle to maintain the previous speed and course.

Since the process of generating electrical energy from the system is acomplished by a series of conversion steps (mechanical and ultimately to electricity) some of the initial energy harvested is lost. Actually, a lot of it is lost.

Even though the amount of stolen energy is relatively low, the person who paid for the gas in the vehicle is the person funding the electricity and waste heat generated by the system.

Anyway you shake it there is no free lunch.

What's next, Zero Point energy?

I totally agree the driver is funding the system, but whether there is a net "loss" to the driver is the interpretation. However the difference here is so slim I hesitate to further the discussion. Example:

When you drive through a parking lot and encounter a speed bump you must brake and then re-accelerate. This is 100% energy loss (except in a regen hybrid, or a Texas truck where you don't even slow down).

The Publix system by default will slow the car without driver interaction (braking). The energy lost from the car will be about the same as the speed bump, but the relatively low reclaimed (stolen) energy is sent to the store.

If the car expended no additional energy when compared to crossing the speed bump, and Publix received energy from the system (even if it was 0.001 watt), then there was a net gain. This did not "create" energy, it simply reclaimed otherwise lost energy. This can be applied to intersections or other roadways where you have no choice but to dump kinetic energy.

By no means am I defending Publix (or hybrids/trucks). I'm just stating with the proper development and correct application there could be benefits for a kinetic reclamation system.

And... what happens in a parking lot with no speed bumps?