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Buy a Burger, Generate Energy

Posted by: Tim Halbur

9 July 2009 - 11:00am

A New Jersey Burger King will soon be a test site for motion energy-generation technology. Drive-thru patrons will depress panels, creating kinetic energy which can be turned into electricity.

The system was created by a company called New Energy.

"Assuming this initial installation proves successful, New Energy believes its MotionPower system would work at any number of high traffic locations that require a vehicle to slow down, such as toll booths, traffic intersections, rest areas, travel plazas, border crossings and neighborhoods with traffic calming zones."

Full Story: New Energy to test MotionPower energy generator at Burger King drive-thru
Source: autobloggreen.com, July 8, 2009
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braking

Submitted by stuehren on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 09:36.

I don't think this article is clear, they are trying to recapture the braking energy through the roadway vs through the brakes as a hybrid does. The way I interpret it, it seems to be rollers that when a car drives onto it, the car's brakes would lock up and the forward momentum of the car would turn the rollers and therefore a generator as it came to a stop. Although it may work, it seems as if it would be horribly expensive and create an awkward and dangerous driving experience.

this is absurd...

Submitted by Ian Sacs on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 10:15.

...please someone send burger king execs a copy of newton's first law of energy. why not just hook jumper cables to customers' car battery if they're looking to power the restaurant on customers' dime, at least that would result in less waste heat.?

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