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Rio R. Bell

Mr. Cole Smith

Contemporary Literature

31 March 2010

The Clean Energy Bike

The earth's population is estimated by the United States Census

Bureau to be 6,801,200,000. There is estimated to be one bicycle for

every seven people in the world, and one automobile for every

fourteen people (www.jimlangley.net). For people unable, or unwilling,

to own and operate an auto, bicycles have also been necessary for

transportation to and from work and errands, furthermore, since its

creation, people have used bicycles for both recreation and to gain

health benefits. I’m suggesting with this white paper that the third

wave of bicycle use will, in addition to recreational opportunities,

health benefits, and transportation purposes, serve as a clean, cheap

and reliable source of renewable natural energy. My proposed Clean

Energy Bike (CEB) consumes no fossil fuels and expels no pollutants

into the earth’s atmosphere; conversely, automobiles consume

quantities of non-renewable fossil fuels and spew life threatening

toxins into the air and water, deteriorating natural resources and

causing harm to life on earth. Combine this deterioration with a

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worldwide energy crisis and the independence a CEB provides is the

right choice towards a cleaner, healthier future.

Humans need energy for life. Energy is used to clean our water,

shelter us from heat and cold and is necessary for growing our food

and producing goods (industry). Energy sources can either be

renewable or non-renewable. Renewable energy can be replaced with

time; however, non-renewable energy can run out.

Rapidly and painfully, fossil fuel is not only running out but extensive

consumption has proven to be damaging to our earth and life on it.

To clearly understand energy sources, I will begin with a basic

clarification of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are deposits of once living

organisms. The organic matter takes centuries to form, and the fuels

consist mainly of carbon and hydrogen bonds. There are three types of

fossil fuels which can be used for energy: coal, oil and natural gas.

Many developing countries, such as China and India, depend on coal

for an energy source (www.lenntech.com). Oil is a liquid fossil fuel that

is formed from the remains of marine animals deposited on the sea

floor. After millions of years the deposits end up in rock and sediment

where oil is trapped in small spaces. It can be extracted by the

expensive process of drilling. Because oil cannot be found everywhere

on earth, there have been wars over oil supplies (a well-known

example is the Gulf War of 1991). Natural gas is a fossil fuel considered

cleaner burning than oil and coal. Natural gas is methane and it is
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highly compressed in small volumes deep within the earth. Like oil, it is

drilled for. Although relatively abundant, scientists have predicted that

natural gas supplies may run out toward the end of the 21st century.

Energy obtained from coal is non renewable and powers more

then half of all of the electrical energy used in the United States of

America. It is attained by mining which is extremely harmful to the

planet. Also the process of purifying the coal energy for use emits

sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and mercury which can

be harmful to the earth, water and air quality. If obtained and cleaned

differently this source of energy could be considered clean but overall

coal is well known as a form of dirty energy despite the Clean Air Act

and the Clean Water Act to reduce emissions.

The energy from oil or petroleum is nonrenewable and has

shown to be harmful to the earth and the environment. The energy

from oil/petroleum comes in three main forms of gasoline, diesel and

propane. It is gathered from drilling in the earth and goes through an

extensive process of refining where it is separated, converted, treated

and stored. In this process many detrimental materials are released

into the atmosphere causing global warming. These products include

carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and

lead. Oil in its refined state can be tremendously dangerous to the

earth with issues concerning spills that damage the welfare of our

oceans, flora and fauna. Because oil is such a hazardous form of

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energy over the years many laws have been made in an attempt to

reduce our carbon footprint on the earth.

Both developed and developing nations use ninety percent of all

the fossil fuel energy, and at this rate of consumption, the world we

inhabit could likely run dry of fossil fuels within twenty to fifty years.

Alarmed at this accelerated rate of fossil fuel consumption, engineers

and environmental scientists have ramped up the exploration and

testing of cleaner sources of renewable energy, some of which include

wind, solar, wave, and geothermal energy types.

Energy can be found in all different forms and harnessed for

usage in many different ways. Today we live in a world primarily

centered on using fossil fuels as our main source of usable energy in

everyday live. Other forms of energy include geothermal,

hydroelectric, wind and solar. In acquiring some of these different

sources of energy some are better for the planet and overall more

environmentally friendly. The term for energy that doesn’t pollute is

known as clean energy (www.agsci.oregonstate.edu). Another way to

classify the difference between clean and dirty energy is called

renewable and nonrenewable energy. The renewable energies are

geothermal, hydroelectric, wind and solar and the nonrenewable

energies are natural gas, oil and coal (fossil fuels).

Geothermal energy is obtained from the heat deep beneath the

earth’s crust. It is harnessed through means of mechanical plants,

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pumps, wells and distribution systems and comes from natural

resources such as volcanoes, hot springs and geysers. Geothermal

energy is a renewable energy source and is a clean energy as it uses

no fossil fuels and emits very little harmful substances.

Hydroelectric energy is a mechanical energy obtained from the

force of water flow. The reliability of this source depends on a constant

supply of water therefore it depends on the hydrologic cycle and is

mostly stored through dams. It is a renewable energy source and does

not pollute the earth but has other consequences on the environment.

The dams prove as an obstruction to some organism’s migration

patterns such as fish and consume (and therefore disrupt) large land

tracts, limiting other resources that could be used from that space.

Wind energy is produced by the movement of wind and is

collected with wind turbines, motors and housing. The placement of

these turbines is extraordinarily crucial as some places produce more

wind then others such as Texas, California, Iowa, Minnesota and

Oklahoma, and coastal locations near the shore. The two most

common forms of wind turbines to date are the horizontal axis turbine,

which closely resembles a windmill, and the vertical axis turbine. Wind

is a clean and renewable energy source with very little negative

impacts on the earth and environment. The drawback to wind energy is

that it negatively impacts wildlife such as birds that can get sucked
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into the turbines, thus reducing their populations and ultimately there

species.

Solar energy is heat energy from the sun. The photons which

hold the solar energy are converted into an energy that can be used

with solar cells, panels and power plants located in areas of intense

sunlight. Although solar energy is a clean and renewable source of

energy, it is not always a reliable one as the sun is not available during

evening hours and is not available in regions with much rain and cloud

cover. Solar energy depends on water to clean the cell panel, and

although the energy itself may not be consequential to the

environment, the process to collect this energy can be, such as the

manufacturing of solar cells.

What is needed, however, is affordable, clean, energy at an

individual level – for personal use. Herein the Clean Energy Bike, as

human potential is clean stored energy. The question then is how can

one person generate and store his or her energy cheaply and reliably?

Human energy output can be stored, transferred and applied to power

common household electrical items such as appliances, lights and

communication devices. With this goal in mind my proposal to design

and manufacture a clean energy bicycle that when powered by one

person, creates clean and cheap energy that can be immediately and

efficiently stored and used for everyday, low consumption activities. I

am aware we are desperately in need of a new and clean form of

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energy and the clean energy bike is the simple and elegant solution to

the non-renewable energy dilemma.

Green energy is clean energy – air pollution is a dangerous

product of a fossil fuel driven environment. Not only does the quality of

air affect the environment; but that it also advances respiratory

problems and can cause cancer in humans, fish and wildlife. Americans

(and others living in developed countries) are highly dependent on off-

shore oil stores and products, and our lifestyle, economics and industry

are extremely reliant on oil (fossil fuel) for transportation and

construction. Generating new and efficient ways of acquiring clean and

cheap energy would relieve the United States of our dependency on

high priced imported fuel resources. While these resources seem

unlimited, they are not regenerative, and in this volatile world, non-

renewable resources can lead to civil unrest and war in the search for

steady supply.

In order to turn around this energy emergency, it will take a

concerted effort on every person’s part, and while the transition may

be slow to start, it will be highly beneficial to everyone’s health and

pocketbook in the end. An American environmentalist David R. Brower,

Co-Founder Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and the Earth Island

Institute, states “I believe that the average guy in the street will give

up a great deal, if he really understands the cost of not giving it up. In

fact, we may find that, while we're drastically cutting our energy
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consumption, we're actually raising our standard of living.”

(www.betterworld.net). Taking part in slowing down global warming,

and thereby saving the world, has never been so challenging or so

gratifying. To the left is a graph

depicting the annual averages and

five year averages of global

temperature in degree Celsius from

1860 to 2000.

Currently a cutting edge in

www.newscientist.co
cooling the environment and
m
creating energy is the energy independent program (AB811). The Press

Democrat newspaper featured the Sonoma County Energy

Independence Program (SCEIP) in the February 19, 2010 Lifestyle

section. Reporter Kevin McCallum writes, “Sonoma County's SCEIP

draws interest from the White House over home-energy loan success

and serves as a model for a nation” (McCallum 2). The SCEIP loans are

being made available to homeowners and businesses at low interest

rates. The intriguing twist to this program is that loan will be repaid

through the homeowner’s property tax bill over a period of about 30

years. If the home owner sells his or her home the tax just stays with

the property. Because paying for the work done is in the property tax

the county is guaranteed repayment and the energy that you are

saving by installing something more efficient will practically pay for the
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installation itself. This project is not only intended to help protect the

environment but also to create jobs for people during this recession.

To date, 1,100 Sonoma County residents have

participated in the Sonoma County Energy Independent

Program. The most common energy-saving upgrades are solar

panels, new windows and new roofs, and new energy efficient

appliances such as high efficiency toilets, tankless water heaters and

electric vehicle plug-in stations. All of these fixtures will reduce energy

dependence help participants do their part in easing our carbon

footprint and global warming. I propose that the Sonoma County

Energy Independence Program include the Clean Energy Bike in their

energy-saving upgrade package, providing even more independence

benefit per cost.

Taking the environmental benefits of an eco-friendly Clean

Energy Bike a step further, according to Matt Villano, The Press

Democrat, February 18, 2010, “the federal government has sweetened

the pot, offering up a cavalcade of tax credits for homeowners who go

out of their way to make their lives greener” (Villano 5). The tax breaks

can range from $1,500 up to $500,000 and more — depending on what

kind of projects you engineer.

From the federal government, homeowners can receive up to

$1,500 in tax credits for improvements that revolve around some (but

not all) Energy Star appliances, and multiple upgrades could net more
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than $10,000 at a time. Homeowners can claim an additional 30

percent of expenditures (up to another $1,500) for qualified

improvements in the following areas: biomass stoves, windows, doors,

HVAC insulation, metal or asphalt roofs and non-solar water heaters.

Think of the possible energy savings of adding just one Clean Energy

Bike per family to the Energy Star program. The Clean Energy Bike

would pay for itself in no time, and these federal credits are available

through the end of 2010. This credit applies to existing homes, second

homes and new construction.

What's more, as a result of the 2009 federal stimulus, owners of a

commercial solar system have the option to receive a cash grant

instead of the tax credit.

Before you run out to the local contractor to cash in on these

federal tax breaks, check your bank account. Many of the most

exhaustive solar and geothermal systems aren't cheap. Solar systems

can cost upwards of $75,000, and some contractors in Sonoma County

have charged nearly $50,000 for geothermal heating/cooling systems

on average-size homes. Even with the $15,000 credit (which is 30

percent of $50,000); homeowners would still need to shell out $35,000.

But a Clean Energy Bike is cheap energy and when mass produced,

quite affordable, making it within reach of more families and

individuals.
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Millions of people have had the opportunity to ride or own a

bicycle at some point in their lives. Whether as a child learning to ride

a tricycle, a teen learning cool moves on a tricked out bike, or an adult

taking place in professional bicycle racing events, biking has been an

integral aspect of peoples’ lives for over 150 years. Some history books

state that Pierre and Ernest Michaux, the French father and son team

of carriage-makers, invented the first bicycle during the 1860s.

Historians now disagree and there is evidence that the bicycle is older

than that. However, historians do agree that Ernest Michaux did invent

the modern bicycle pedal and cranks in 1861.

Since Ernest Michaux invention, a typical bicycle has not evolved

much in its basic design. The picture below shows Ernest Michaux’s

son riding a bicycle in 1868. A typical bicycle is a mechanical

mechanism powered by human energy. It is constructed of an inverted

triangular metal frame centered by two wheels, a devise for steering,

and a seat. When the petals on the frame are circulated by the person

sitting on the seat, the petals turn a chain that turns a spoke on the

back wheel which then in turn propels the wheel to move, causing the

bike to travel. Thousands of forms of bicycles exist today. The bicycle

as been modified to have breaks both in the front wheel and in the

back, styles and sizes have been customized and the practically and

purpose has been adjusted.

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Globally, the bicycle is

extraordinarily popular and served

as many purposes in everyday life.

As noted previously, the first wave

of this invention brought bicycles

to the world for recreation. The

1890’s, also known as the Golden

www.jimlangley.n
et Age of Bicycles; saw bicycles that

could coast along on flat ground. As the notion of biking became more

popular, groups, organizations and clubs started to form around

cycling. Many of these biking clubs started in France and were very

fancy and mainly for the elite, who could afford the materials. These

cycling clubs quickly became a method of social interaction and

communication. As the 19th century rolled around, bicycle clubs, racing

groups and bicycle touring organizations became widely popular

around the world.

Through most of the 19th century biking remained a form of

entertainment and recreation. As bicycles started becoming more

affordable and available, many different forms of bicycles and biking

were introduced to the public. Smaller, colorful bicycles were built for

children and light, slim bikes were created for racing. Later in the

century bicycles also became well known for teen recreation and feats
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of daring. With the well known form of BMX biking, people could

perform jumps, flips and tricks.

Today cycling serves a second and equally important purpose. In

a world full of people needing to be at a certain place at certain time

transportation is always an issue in a person’s life. Automobiles

continue to be extremely expensive to purchase and operate for the

average working person and buses and trains aren’t always available

or their schedules are not flexible for the 24/7 work patterns. While

walking is certainly healthy and can work in some areas, it is extremely

impractical when traveling long distances. That’s when the bicycle

emerged as a transportation vehicle. Whether traveling to work or for

errands, biking immediately became a success for a practical everyday

usage. Not only is it efficient but it is faster then walking and much

cheaper then driving. Transportation by biking took the world by storm.

While bicycling quickly took is place in entertainment and

transportation it also became a fashionable and valuable form of

exercise. Many of today’s health problems can be traced back to a lack

of physical activity. The much more serious health issues are well

documented such as obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure. In

fact it is known that 16.6 percent of all deaths are a result of diet and

lack of exercise (www.croftonbikedoctor.com). Biking is a great form a

cardiovascular exercise which promotes stronger blood flow which is

very beneficial for the heart as it reduces blood clots in the arteries.
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Biking also burns fat and calories and builds muscle which is essential

in having a healthy life.

Biking exercise also releases endorphins which help to balance

your mood and stress. Bicycling has been proven to reduce depression

and improve self-esteem. Biking is a simple way of incorporating

physical exercise into almost anyone’s life. Statistics show that biking

ten minutes daily can eliminate hypertension, and even reduce your

weight - over ten pounds of fat in a year (www.bupa.co.uk). Bicycling is

the ultimate form of exercise as it is healthy, entertaining and gets you

where you need to go.

Air pollution is chronic in most major cities due to burning of

fossil fuels; however, biking does not use or create any sort of harmful

energy source to destroy the earth’s atmosphere. Biking is saving the

planet one trip at a time because of the absence of using destructive,

and declining, energy sources. Studies have shown that by biking

instead of driving an automobile, you are saving an average of over

230 million gallons of gasoline in a year. (www.croftonbikedoctor.com).

But what if we could improve these savings ever more? What if

bicycles could be used to create clean affordable energy? This is the

future of the Clean Energy Bicycle.

In a world that is slowly devouring itself with its obsessive need

for fossil fuels, the need for new sources of energy has never been so

crucial. As stated previously, alternative energy sources of wind, solar,

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and geothermal energy are expensive and require extensive hardware

and distribution systems. Bicycling to create clean energy is destined

to be the world’s next new source of energy. This is the third evolution

of bicycling.

Today, with the Clean Energy Bicycle, biking will be used to

create a sustainable form of alternative energy. The Clean Energy

Bicycle will be an inexpensive, reliable and efficient source of energy

that people can obtain and generate for themselves. Why should you

have to be dependant on an outside source of energy when you can

create it for yourself?

There are two types of energy that are being produced with the

energy bike, mechanical and electrical. Mechanical energy is

composed of kinetic and potential energy. Kinetic energy is the object

in motion and potential energy is the object at rest. The energy that

you produce when you pedal a bike is mechanical as it is systems

working together in transferring energy from you to the bike. The

energy from the person powering the bike originates from calories

which give your body the energy it needs to power the bicycle. The

energy created from pedaling the bike is mechanical energy.

Electrical energy, also known as electricity, is the most common

term for describing the flow of electric current. Electrically charged

particles run through a current which makes electricity and is

measured in amperes. There are two different types of electrical

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current, alternating and direct. Alternating current (AC) is when the

charged particles change the direction of there course constantly and

direct current (DC) is when the charged particles flow in one direction

or directly. A wall outlet, for example, runs on about 120 volts of

alternating current.

The mechanical energy produced from

pedaling the bicycle is harnessed with a

motor. To the left is a photograph of a

twelve volt motor. Motors are a key aspect

www.heiniger.co.
of creating energy from the energy bike. A
uk
motor uses the mechanical energy’s

movement and electromagnets to produce electrical direct current

(www.howstuffworks.com). The direct current acquired is then

connected to a large battery which stores the electrical energy.

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The energy that is intended to

be produced by the energy bike is

alternating current, as this is the most

commonly used form of electrical

www.bullnet.co.uk current (used for general appliances

and batteries). However, because the type of energy the bike is

producing is mechanical, which is then transformed into direct current

an inverter must be used change the energy from direct current to

alternating current (www.howstuffworks.com). An inverter is a device

that converts direct current to alternating current. The image below is

a photograph of a 200 watt inverter. All electrically charged particles

have magnetism which shows up in the shape of waves. The inverter

converts the energy by altering the shape of the energy wave with

oscillator circuits with filters, inductors and capacitors. The energy

from the inverter is alternating current and then can therefore be

directly used by the appliance.

The appliance that is being used to harness the mechanical

energy from the bike is known as an electrical motor. Electric motors

can be found in many everyday appliances such as household and

power tools. With gears, the magnetic field, electromagnetic magnets

and conductors the motor transforms electrical energy into mechanical

energy. In order to reverse this process and acquire electrical energy

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from mechanical energy an electrical motor can still be used but it is

better known as a generator for accomplishing this task.

Finding a motor to power a twelve volt battery proved to be a

very challenging task in the process of creating the Energy Bike; many

stores do not sell motors or substantial size or quality to run something

of the bike’s intensity. As a result the motor that was used to charge

the battery on the energy bike came from a moderately used electric

drill. After testing how best to obtain the energy from the bike to the

motor, it proved that using two small wheels attached by a belt gave

the best results.

The Clean Energy Bike is a fully functioning bike that converts

mechanical energy into electrical energy. The bicycle can function both

on the road and stationary with a stand. When the bike is pedaled

through human activity the front wheel spins a gear attached to a

twelve volt motor that spins the motor converting the mechanical

energy into electrical energy. The motor is attached to a small gear

which is connected to a larger gear by a belt. The larger gear is

attached to the front wheel. When the larger gear is spun from the

front wheel the smaller gear is turned as well from the belt which then

turns the motor. The motor that is producing the electrical energy is

connected to a twelve volt battery that rests in a basket at the front of

the bike that will serve as a storage space for the energy attained from

riding the bike. After returning home from riding the bike, one simply
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disconnects the battery in the basket from the motor and then

connects the battery to the included inverter which will change the

current from alternating to direct current. The inverter is connected to

the desired appliance to be powered and the energy that was created

from riding the bike and was stored in the battery can now be used to

power a variety of electrical objects.

The materials required to build this project include a standard

bicycle with no gears, a twelve volt motor,

and sixteen gage insolated copper wire, a

twelve volt battery (see photograph to the

right), an attachable bicycle basket, an

inverter and an appliance to be powered. The www.100candles.co

first step in creating this devise is to gather m

the necessary materials. The next step is to attach the motor to the

top of the front wheel. Once that part is securely attached to the bike

the third step is to connect the motor to the battery in the basket with

the sixteen gage wire.

The original product plan was to have a stationary bicycle that

rests on a stand that could be used solely indoors. The hypothesized

plan was to have the motor attached to the spokes on the back wheel

which would then be converted into usable energy. Once obtaining the

bike however, it proved to be impossible to attach the motor to the

back spokes and the plan was readjusted to be powered from the
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turning of the front wheel. Through trial and error our design team

discovered which motor would produce the best results and where to

place the motor on the bike to achieve maximum potential in attaining

energy from the rider.

The final product of the Clean Energy Bike consists of a standard

bicycle, a twelve volt motor, sixteen gage wires, a twelve volt battery,

a 200-watt inverter and an appliance to be powered. The specifications

call for the motor to be attached to the top of the front wheel which is

attached to wires which charges the battery. The battery can then be

unplugged from the wires and connected to the accompanying inverter

which will also be attached to the desired appliance to be powered.

The inverter changes the DC current into AC current which is used to

power the appliance. The Clean Energy Bike can be used both outside

and indoors. For those who wish to use the bike for practical purposes

(such as riding to work or for recreation) the bike is perfectly functional

on the open road. If the rider wishes to exercise in the comfort and

convenience of their home or office then the operator would simply

attach it to the included bike stand.

Going green has never been so easy. The Clean Energy Bike

consumes no fossil fuels and releases no harmful pollutants into the

atmosphere. As previously stated, burning fossil fuels is responsible for

greenhouse gas accumulation, air pollution, water pollution, damage to

the land surface and ground-level ozone (www.lenntech.com). The

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Clean Energy Bike, however, is an excellent source of entertainment,

exercise and transportation but most importantly the Clean Energy

Bike is an efficient and effective source of clean energy that you can

produce with minimal cost and damage to the environment. A new era

of bicycling is about to begin, saving the planet one pedal at a time.

Let the race begin.

Works Cited
“Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gases.” Water Treatment Solutions.
Lenntech
Water treatment and purification. 1998-2009
http://www.lenntech.com/air-pollution-news.htm
“Bicycle Facts – Health and the Environment.” Bike Doctor Crofton.
2010
http://croftonbikedoctor.com/articles/bicycle-facts-health-
environment-pg285.htm
“Biotechnology Terms.” OSU Oregon State University. 2010
http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/orb/biotechnology-terms
Brahic, Catherine. “Climate myths.” NewScientist. May 2007
http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/ns/cms/dn11639/dn11
639-2_808.jpg
Brain, Marshall. “How Electric Motors Work.” How Stuff Works Inc.
1998-2010
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/motor5.htm
Bulletnet. 200 watt inverter.
http://www.bullnet.co.uk/shops/test/images/invb.jpg
Carnall D. “Cycling and Health.” Bupa. 1999
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http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/healthy_living/life
style/exercise/cycling/cycling_health.html
“Energy Sources.” E.I.A. U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2010
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=2
Grabianowski, Ed. “How DC/AC Power Inverters Work.” How Stuff
Works Inc.
1998-2010
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/automotive/dc-ac-
power-inverter2.htm
Heiniger. 12 Volt Motor.
http://www.heiniger.co.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/
12_Volt_Motor.jpg
Hudson, William. “Myths and Milestones in Bicycle Evolution.” Jim
Langley 2008 http://www.jimlangley.net/ride/bicyclehistorywh.html
McCallum, Kevin. “Sonoma County Energy Independence Program.”
The Press Democrat 2. Santa Rosa. February 19, 2010
“Renewable Energy Quotes.” Better World Quotes. David R. Brower
http://www.betterworld.net/quotes/energy-quotes.htm
Villano, Matt. “Energy Star Program.” The Press Democrat, 5. Santa
Rosa. February 18, 2010
100 Candles. 12 volt rechargeable lead battery. 2010
http://www.100candles.com/Images/Items/600_12_volt_18am_rec
hargeable_battery.jpg