Nur Ahmad Furlong

Tag: clean_energy

  • Springwise: See-saw power for schools

    seesaw

    Human powered energy generators are on the rise and many different designs have been surfacing in the last year or so. This one uses an existing fun activity to produce some much needed energy.

    Daniel Sheridan, a student in consumer product design, won three separate awards amounting to GBP 5,500 earlier this year for his see-saw design, which can create enough electricity to power a classroom by capturing the energy generated when children play on it.

    What more can I say, brilliant idea, South Africans could do with a combination of sober entertainment & energy production all rolled into one.

    Check it out here

  • AfriGadget » Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar & Yeast Generator

    Dr. Ngalande’s Sugar and Yeast Power Generator

    Just off chatting with White Africa, A.K.A. Hash, blog master of AfriGadget.com who lives in the US. I thought I’d take another look at AfriGadget and see if I can find anything which sparks my interest.

    Step onto the scene a Sugar & Yeast Powered Generator

    cedricks_generator This invention(by Dr. Cedrick Ngalande’s) has massive implications for South Africa, not only directly related to the problem of charging of mobile phones in rural settings but in general, for the energy crisis we are experiencing locally.

    This shows that Africans are very much innovating and working towards solutions to some of the most crucial problems mankind will be facing in the very near future.

    “The rotor moves slowly most of the times but does pick up at certain intervals. This process continues for many hours. Since the rotor is quite heavy (and hence more inertia) a small geared DC motor can be connected to the rotor to generate power for cell phones, $100 laptops, and other things in Africa. People can leave this thing to charge their phones/$100 laptops overnight.”

    The blog post where I found this little invention has a hot commenting debate about the actual viability of the invention, but like “Hash” the blog author responded, we need to be talking about what people are doing and maybe by spreading the word others can contribute and help build on these ideas.

    Anyone out there know of any other cool low tech energy solutions? All I can say is Go Africa, Go!!