SpiderJones

(I was advised to move this to a different forum than the Advocacy one. Here it is)

Anybody know where we can get a bank of turbo driven generators, to go down to Zuccotti Park and provide some power? Then we'll need to recruit a cadre of serious cyclists to power the generators. Should be a win-win for the Occupy movement who are going to need power through the Winter, and all the local clubs, who need to put in the hours and generate the watts anyway. Recruit some of the permanent Occupiers, too and keep them fit and warm.

It is 99% certain that cyclists are of the 99%, in view of the gasoline-centric nature of rich-man-culture, and the current Republican push in the Senate to squeeze Open Streets funding out of the Transportation bill.

Even better if we can persuade Rollapaluza (@Rollapaluza) to set up a gig there.

gregf83 

Even pro tour cyclists pedaling flat out would have trouble generating a nickels worth of energy in an hour. Good luck.

SpiderJones

It isn't a question of the competitive cost of the watts generated, since a plug-in supply isn't available and the city has removed the generators. It's a question of generating a useful supply for lighting and cooking. There are also synergistic benefits to be had, in getting exposure for typical cyclist grievances with an anti-cycling government.

duffer1960

Figure about 100 watts of juice, maybe a little more, out of somebody of average fitness. Maybe for about an hour per average person. Can you line up enough generator and volunteers to make that worthwhile?

How about batteries? Do you suppose the authorities have or will make up a prohibition against people carrying batteries on & off the site? If you can, maybe it's practical to carry batteries to & from an outside grid-source charging station. This may give you enough for a few lights and laptops. Even with pedalers, you may want batteries to even out power when the pedalers sag or change places.

Forget cooking with electricity, no practical way to do it with batteries or pedaling I think. Not enough power.

gregf83 

10 well trained cyclists pedaling hard for 3 hrs will generate about the same amount of power you could generate from 1 gal of gas and a compact honda generator.

Pointless exercises like you are describing just make people scratch their heads...