Comments on: Energy Generating Speed Bumps Get Green Light in London http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/ News & commentary on sustainability, activism, urban planning, politics, and our world. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:32:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Solar Powered Roads Could Generate Electricity, Improve Safety | GetSolar.com Blog http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-178786 Solar Powered Roads Could Generate Electricity, Improve Safety | GetSolar.com Blog Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:06:26 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-178786 [...] Solar-powered roads not doing it for you? Check out these electricity-generating speedbumps, which are being put to use in Britain. Share and [...] [...] Solar-powered roads not doing it for you? Check out these electricity-generating speedbumps, which are being put to use in Britain. Share and [...]

]]> By: Land Art Generator Initiative http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-64925 Land Art Generator Initiative Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:11:57 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-64925 [...] There are already more utilitarian applications being put forward for use on highways, bridges and speed bumps. Even the fast food drive-through is getting into the idea. Search this [...] [...] There are already more utilitarian applications being put forward for use on highways, bridges and speed bumps. Even the fast food drive-through is getting into the idea. Search this [...]

]]> By: Peter Elbro BSc MSc http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60933 Peter Elbro BSc MSc Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:52:32 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-60933 Laws of physics - you cannot create or destroy energy or mass so the energy has to come from somewhere and it comes from a (small but finite) reduction in speed of the vehicle. So it isn't free energy and at worst it's an additional tax on the motorist. The speed bump removes kinetic energy from the car which has to be replaced by the driver having to use more fuel to replace the lost speed. As a car engine is not a particular efficient generator of electricity (exploding a gas to rotate a shaft to move a car to pump some fluids to turn a generator to produce the electricity - each stage incurring losses) it would have been better and less polluting to have used the mains supply. The only instances (I can think of) are on a downward slope where the driver would have to have used the brakes to slow the car anyway or in remote locations where there is no economical means of connecting to the mains. Nice idea but either not thought though or cynically, a means of making the motorist pay. Laws of physics – you cannot create or destroy energy or mass so the energy has to come from somewhere and it comes from a (small but finite) reduction in speed of the vehicle. So it isn’t free energy and at worst it’s an additional tax on the motorist. The speed bump removes kinetic energy from the car which has to be replaced by the driver having to use more fuel to replace the lost speed. As a car engine is not a particular efficient generator of electricity (exploding a gas to rotate a shaft to move a car to pump some fluids to turn a generator to produce the electricity – each stage incurring losses) it would have been better and less polluting to have used the mains supply. The only instances (I can think of) are on a downward slope where the driver would have to have used the brakes to slow the car anyway or in remote locations where there is no economical means of connecting to the mains. Nice idea but either not thought though or cynically, a means of making the motorist pay.

]]> By: Neil Basil http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60932 Neil Basil Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:45:21 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-60932 Wow! And if the cars were all electric, they could pull in and recharge; thereby running on no energy! Best idea since the invention of the perpetual motion machine (a piece of paper with "PTO" written on both sides. Peter Hughes is taking the piss; and a reporter is not doing his job (it is NOT April 1st). Wow! And if the cars were all electric, they could pull in and recharge; thereby running on no energy! Best idea since the invention of the perpetual motion machine (a piece of paper with “PTO” written on both sides.
Peter Hughes is taking the piss; and a reporter is not doing his job (it is NOT April 1st).

]]> By: gigi frams http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60931 gigi frams Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-60931 This is so cool!!! i think it is great that someone came up with this idea. we have been talking about this all along. Once again a dream becomes a reality This is so cool!!! i think it is great that someone came up with this idea. we have been talking about this all along. Once again a dream becomes a reality

]]> By: Guido Elettrico http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60930 Guido Elettrico Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:59:55 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-60930 I think the same...but maybe these kind of bumps could be used on downhills or similar situations, when the driver has to reduce the speed using brakes...or these bumps. :-) I think about multi-levels parking...for instance, you HAVE to go upstairs and you HAVE to go down, so the weight of your car could generate some power and save brakes. (I'm not sure I was clear with my poor english. :-( ) I think the same…but maybe these kind of bumps could be used on downhills or similar situations, when the driver has to reduce the speed using brakes…or these bumps. :-)
I think about multi-levels parking…for instance, you HAVE to go upstairs and you HAVE to go down, so the weight of your car could generate some power and save brakes.
(I’m not sure I was clear with my poor english. :-( )

]]> By: David Diez http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/02/08/energy-generating-speed-bumps-get-green-light-in-london/comment-page-1/#comment-60929 David Diez Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:42:07 +0000 http://ecoworldly.com/?p=2295#comment-60929 “They are speed bumps, but they are not like conventional speed bumps. They don’t damage your car or waste petrol when you drive over them - and they have the added advantage that they produce energy free of charge.” Violates conservation of energy. The only logical explanation is that it does waste vehicle kinetic energy, i.e. petrol. Granted, if speed bumps were already going to be there then it is just harnessing wasted energy. “They are speed bumps, but they are not like conventional speed bumps. They don’t damage your car or waste petrol when you drive over them – and they have the added advantage that they produce energy free of charge.”

Violates conservation of energy. The only logical explanation is that it does waste vehicle kinetic energy, i.e. petrol. Granted, if speed bumps were already going to be there then it is just harnessing wasted energy.

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