Play and generate power

What can be the poor man’s alternative to kerosene lamps, which emit hazardous fumes and generate 190 million metric tons of CO2 each year? A soccer ball! Four Harvard engineering students developed a Soccket – a soccer ball that generates and stores electricity during play. A stroke of genius in a place like Africa where soccer is played everywhere.

The Soccket was designed for use in off-grid areas. The ball works by capturing kinetic energy through an inductive coil mechanism, which works in a similar manner to those flashlights that are powered by shaking. As the ball is batted about, it draws a magnet through a coil, creating current that is stored in a battery.

According to the designers, the device weighs little more than a standard soccer ball, and 15 minutes of play produces enough energy to illuminate a small LED for three hours. That is something.

Small ways in which the energy demand can be reduced by such innovative methods could have a major impact on the global emissions scene.

In the state of Karnataka in India, a company joined hands with the handicraft corporation to sell e-charkas –wheels that spin khadi loom and generate power to light up a LED lamp. The e-charkha is so designed spinning yarn for 2 Hours in a day will provide at-least 7.5 hrs Hour of the light operation. The power saved in the battery can also be used to play a radio, a common mode of infotainment in rural India.

Take the case of fleet vehicles owned by companies – they are driven hard, averaging nearly double the mileage, fuel consumption and emissions of personal vehicles. Currently, there are more 3 million corporate fleet vehicles in the United States alone, emitting 45 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Managing the fleet efficiently could mean fuel saved and emissions reduced. Some companies have done that. One took unnecessary parts and tools out of its repair vans, reducing weight. Another introduced a rule to discourage use of SUVs, which brought down the requests!

In Bangalore, the local bus service has introduced 'bus-only' days on certain routes on certain days. People are encouraged to take the public transport.

Climate change or no, fuel is all set to go dearer. Makes sense to save every drop.