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New Energy's Motion Power Electricity Harvesting Device Undergoes Successful Prototype Test On Heavy Trucks

 
8 4,368 views August 25, 2009

MotionPower

MotionPower

A while back we brought you a story of a new technology that was designed to harvest power from the motion of vehicles on the roadways.  The system works by using energy created by vehicles travelling over a series of plates that move up and down creating energy.  Read more about the system here.

Now the company that produces the energy harvester called New Energy Technologies Inc. has successfully completed their first ever MotionPower prototype energy harvester for heavy trucks and semi-trucks.

When we reported on the previous MotionPower systems being installed at Burger King, Holiday Inn Express and the Four Season Hotel, that system was designed for passenger vehicles.  The new prototype is designed for heavy truck applications only.

The company see ideal locations for installation such as truck stops, weigh scales, ports of entry and shipping sites.  Basically, the system could harvest energy from trucks in any highly congested area where traffic movement is slow.

The system is designed to be installed where vehicles are slowing down.  This method does not rob the vehicle of power, rather it assists the vehicle in stopping while creating energy in the process.

New Energy Technologies CEO Meetesh Patel said, "I'm very excited to see the quick progress our engineering team has made with the successful completion of our first-generation MotionPower prototype designed to harvest the kinetic energy of long-haul trucks, buses and other load bearing heavy vehicles in order to generate clean electricity."

The MotionPower systems combine simple mechanical devices to generate electric from the energy of a moving vehicle.  They are designed to be installed in roadways near deceleration zones.  If successfully implemented, they could generate electricity for a multitude of uses.

 Click here to view a video of New Energy’s small scale first-generation prototype of its MotionPowerTM Heavy Vehicle Energy Harvesting System: http://www.newenergytechnologiesinc.com/motionpowerheavyvehicleprototype.html

Source:  Business Wire





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Comments (8)

  1. By  Todd Horst Posted: 8/25/2009 4:52am PDT

    This method does not rob the vehicle of power, rather it assists the vehicle in stopping while creating energy in the process.
    That doesn't make sense, lol. "assist the vehicle in stopping"=="rob the vehicle of power"
     
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  2. By Author Posted: 8/25/2009 5:00am PDT

    The location of the unit near areas where vehicles are stopping does not rob the vehicle of power because the vehicle is coasting at that time and the unit simply helps to deceleration of the vehicles. By travelling over the moving grates below, the vehicles slows down quicker.
     
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  3. By Jason M. Hendler Posted: 8/25/2009 5:42am PDT

    A decelerating vehicle already loses its energy as brake, tire and roadway heat. This system will absorb that energy and reduce brake, tire and road wear.
     
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  4. By russ Posted: 8/25/2009 6:25am PDT

    Seems of minimal and marginal use - there is constant movement in the truck chassis themselves that the springs/shocks take up - harvesting that may make some sense.
    They note themselves, "The company see ideal locations for installation such as truck stops, weigh scales, ports of entry and shipping sites. Basically, the system could harvest energy from trucks in any highly congested area where traffic movement is slow."
    Not bad but also no big thing.
     
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  5. By E. Martin Posted: 8/25/2009 6:58am PDT

    This could be not preferable with future electric vehicles with regenerative braking. In theses cases, about 15% of the energy is taken back to the battery pack. What about this system ?
     
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  6. By Jason M. Hendler Posted: 8/25/2009 7:22am PDT

    True, some energy that would go into regenerative braking would instead be absorbed by this system, but at least it isn't lost and it still reduces brake, tire and road wear.
     
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  7. By Jerry Lynch Posted: 9/5/2009 1:04pm PDT

    When located in traffic control areas i.e. bank entrances, tool boths, and drive thru's, the device will utilize the rolling energy of the decelrating car. The weight of each wheel will depress a small lever/pison that actuates a flywheel. No "real energy" is stolen from anyone. If you are braking but still rolling, your hybrid still captures the braking energy.
     
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  8. By  Heavy Duty Blender Posted: 9/29/2010 2:37pm PDT

    I'm still a little confused about how this all will work. I thought I understood after the comment by Author but then Jerry Lynch confused me a little. Is there an explanation of what actually is going on? I realize that energy is taken from braking/slowing cars, but in what way and how?
     
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