Sanyo sets up solar parking lots for bikes

TOKYO, JAPAN - Japanese electronics giant Sanyo said it had opened two "solar parking lots" in Tokyo where 100 electric hybrid bicycles can be recharged from sunlight-powered panels.

The system uses lithium-ion batteries to charge 100 of Sanyo's "eneloop" bikes, with enough power left over to also illuminate the parking lot with LED lights at night.

The concept is a "completely independent and clean system eliminating the use of fossil fuels", said Sanyo Electric Co, which has emerged as a leader in solar and other alternative energy technologies.

The two lots, which also feature electric outlets to power external equipment in an emergency, were set up near commuter train lines in Tokyo's Setagaya ward, where the cycles will be parked for community use.

The charging points rely on rooftop photovoltaic panels, and Sanyo said the system also works on rainy days.

The eneloop "peddle-assist" bike features a "dynamotor" built into the hub of the front wheel, which charges a battery when the bicycle is cruising downhill or a rider is braking.

The bicycle's electric motor kicks in when a rider pedals, providing a virtual wind at one's back and making inclines feel more like flat terrain. There is a power boost mode for particularly steep climbs.

Related News

batteries

Its Electric Grid Under Strain, California Turns to Batteries

LOS ANGELES - Last month as a heat wave slammed California, state regulators sent an email to a group of energy executives pleading for help. “Please consider this an urgent inquiry on behalf of the state,” the message said.

The manager of the state’s grid was struggling to increase the supply of electricity because power plants had unexpectedly shut down and demand was surging. The imbalance was forcing officials to order rolling blackouts across the state for the first time in nearly two decades.

What was unusual about the emails was whom they were sent to: people who managed thousands of batteries…

READ MORE

Europe to Weigh Emergency Measures to Limit Electricity Prices

READ MORE

powerline worker

Canada in top 10 for hydropower jobs, but doesn't rank on other renewables

READ MORE

The Haves and Have-Nots of Electricity in California

READ MORE

ev-fires-raise-health-concerns-for-firefighters

EV Fires Raise Health Concerns for Firefighters

READ MORE