Recycling energy

May 7, 2009

Articles, NU Voices for Israel

Here is a little science lesson for you: energy does not disappear. Energy is not “consumed” by machines and devices; it is just converted to another form. The reason we can’t use this energy over and over again is because the energy spreads out and takes the form of heat or sound and is harder to convert back into mechanical work. Every day, vast amounts of energy is lost by cars to the roads they drive on.

Now, Innowattech, an Israeli company, has developed a technology that can recapture some of that energy, to be reused.

Innowattech has developed a new alternative energy system that harvests mechanical energy imparted to roadways, railways and runways from passing vehicles and trains and converts it into green electricity.

The device is placed under the road or train track and captures heat and mechanical energy released by the passing vehicle. For more details, watch the official video. The devices won’t be commercially available for a few years but the technology is very promising.

They are also working on a version that captures energy from people walking and running.