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65 Unexpected Energy Sources

From Orange-Powered Billboards to Pulse-Powered Music Players

— May 15, 2013 — Autos
You won’t find anything powered by wind, water or the sun in this roundup of unexpected energy sources. These unusually powered creations harvest energy from alternative sources like workouts, tweets, falling sand and chocolate.

Sustainability is ever-present in the minds of designers, engineers and architects and it is becoming increasingly important to come up with clean and creative energy sources. Buildings, cars and products that demand high amounts of energy are making use of solutions like kinetic energy and biofuel for increased efficiency.

These alternate energy sources make the most of out-of-the-box thinking. Some of these ideas pair similar concepts together, such as trash-powered garbage trucks and stair-powered buildings. Other ideas mash up unusual objects like billboards that run on the power of fruit, cars fuelled by alligator fat and poop-powered motorcycles.
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
65
Bicycle-Powered Websites
Bicycle-Powered Websites
The Earth Hour 2011 Web Cycle Uses Human Energy to Power Its Website
<
64
Windy Social Media Interactions
Windy Social Media Interactions
The Weather Channel's Tweet Powered Tornado Launches on Interns
<
63
Tweet-Powered Cuckoo Clock
Tweet-Powered Cuckoo Clock
#Flock by Berg Connects to Twitter to Alert Users to Replies and More
<
62
Bacteria Bioenergy
Bacteria Bioenergy
Keerthi Venkataramanan Uncovers a Brilliant Way To Recycle Biofuel Byproducts
<
61
Car-Fueling Reptiles
Car-Fueling Reptiles
You Could Be Filling Your Vehicle with Alligator Fat Soon
<
60
Oxygen-Manufactured Fuel
Oxygen-Manufactured Fuel
Air Fuel Synthesis’ New Process Creates Gas Made From Air
<
59
Bio-Powered Cell Phones
Bio-Powered Cell Phones
M13 is a Genetically Engineered Virus that Powers Your Mobile
<
58
Workout-Powered Homes
Workout-Powered Homes
The JF-Kit House is Powered by Exercise Energy
<
57
Bicycle-Powered Music Machines
Bicycle-Powered Music Machines
Cyclo-phone by Marcelo Ertorteguy and Sara Valente Has Rhythm
<
56
Tequila Plant Biofuels
Tequila Plant Biofuels
A Global Change Biology Bioenergy Report Unveils an Amazing Biofuel Source
<
55
Gravity-Powered Lamps
Gravity-Powered Lamps
The Eco-Friendly GravityLight Provides a Reusable Source of Energy
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54
Cheer-Powered Cars
Cheer-Powered Cars
Volkswagen 'Up! Holland Up!' Campaign Awards People Who Scream Loudest
<
53
Hand-Powered Computers
Hand-Powered Computers
OLPC's XO-3 Tablet is Designed for the Third World
<
52
Fruit Energy Sources
Fruit Energy Sources
The Orange Battery by Caleb Charland Emits a Soft Glow
<
51
Orange-Powered Billboards
Orange-Powered Billboards
The Tropicana Energie Naturelle Campaign Advocates Clean Energy
<
50
Bicycle-Powered Creameries
Bicycle-Powered Creameries
'Peddler's Creamery' Puts Pedal to the Metal to Make Ice Cream
<
49
Cigar-Powered Art Installations
Cigar-Powered Art Installations
Ronald van der Meijs Pays Tribute to the History of Eindhoven City
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48
Eco-Friendly Expeditions
Eco-Friendly Expeditions
The Vegetable Oil-Powered Mitsubishi Van Sets World Record
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47
Pedal-Powered Water Dispensers
Pedal-Powered Water Dispensers
Vitaminwater Company Activate Releases a Cyclable Vending Machine
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46
Human-Powered Monowheels
Human-Powered Monowheels
Monovelo is Here to Change the Outlook of Night Traffic
<
45
Bicycle-Powered Copper Shredders
Bicycle-Powered Copper Shredders
Esource by Hal Watts Makes E-Waste Mining Safer and Better
<
44
Stair-Powered Buildings
Stair-Powered Buildings
Michael Jantzen Designs a Self-Powered House Based on Stair Walking Energy
<
43
Pedal-Powered Prison Sentences
Pedal-Powered Prison Sentences
Santa Rita do Sapucaí Penitentiary Has Inmates Create Energy
<
42
Algae-Powered Aircraft
Algae-Powered Aircraft
The EADS' First Algae-Fueled Airplane Runs on Slimy Biofuel
<
41
Algae Paper Power
Algae Paper Power
These Biodegradable Batteries Could Cut Down on E-Waste
<
40
Human Biofuel Sources
Human Biofuel Sources
Revolutionary Eco-Box Turns Your Breath Into Fuel
<
39
Energy from Manure
Energy from Manure
Biogas Technology Uses Cow Poop to Create Power
<
38
Sodium-Powered Model Cars
Sodium-Powered Model Cars
The Salt Water Monster Truck Toy Uses Alternatives to Fuel
<
37
Human Powered Energy
Human Powered Energy
Get Your Butt To The Gym and Generate Some Electricity
<
36
Chocolate Powered Cars
Chocolate Powered Cars
'WorldFirst F3' Vegetable Racer Built Has Very Green Body Parts
<
35
Green and Greasy Filipino Police
Green and Greasy Filipino Police
Cruisers To Run on McDonalds Grease
<
34
Automotive Algae Fuel
Automotive Algae Fuel
Bill Gates Funds Sapphire Energy
<
33
AIR Powered Go-Karts
AIR Powered Go-Karts
Breathe In, Breathe Out
<
32
Plant-Powered Architecture
Plant-Powered Architecture
Splitterwerk's Algae-Powered Building is Truly Green in its Design
<
31
Human-Powered Airplanes
Human-Powered Airplanes
The ‘Snowbird Ornithopter' by Todd Reichart Makes Man Fly
<
30
Algae Powered Cars
Algae Powered Cars
'Algaeus' Travels Across Country for Eco Film 'FUEL'
<
29
Garbage Powered Trucks
Garbage Powered Trucks
World's First Garbage Truck Fueled by Its Own Trash
<
28
Algae-Powered Illuminators
Algae-Powered Illuminators
The Latro Lamp from Mike Thompson Runs off of Breath and Water
<
27
Biofuel Buses
Biofuel Buses
The 'Big Green Bus' is Powered by Used Vegetable Oil
<
26
Hand-Powered Digital Camera
Hand-Powered Digital Camera
Sony Odo Twirl N' Take
<
25
Hand-Controlled Snow Vehicles
Hand-Controlled Snow Vehicles
The HPS is a Human-Powered Eco Vehicle for those Wintry Months
<
24
Human-Powered Hotel Ammenities
Human-Powered Hotel Ammenities
The Bike-Fueled Cottage Lodge TV Operates on Foot Peddling
<
23
Pedal Powered Toilet Paper
Pedal Powered Toilet Paper
Eco Inventions That Stink
<
22
Hand-Powered Accessible Seating
Hand-Powered Accessible Seating
The Velo Modular Sports Interface Turns a Wheelchair into a Bike
<
21
Human Powered Mini Cooper
Human Powered Mini Cooper
Beijing Olympic Mini Rickshaw
<
20
Pedal-Powered Coffee Retailers
Pedal-Powered Coffee Retailers
Bikecaffe
<
19
Swing-Powered Light Posts
Swing-Powered Light Posts
The Giraffe Street Lamp Generates Kinetic Energy
<
18
Human-Powered Helicopters
Human-Powered Helicopters
The Gamera Project is Enviromentally Friendly and Physically Demanding
<
17
Compost-Powered Lamps
Compost-Powered Lamps
Haneum Lee's Gaon Street Light Uses Trash for Energy
<
16
Poop-Powered Motorcycles
Poop-Powered Motorcycles
The Toilet Bike Neo Harnesses the Power of Your Stool for Energy
<
15
Bicycle-Powered Washing Machines
Bicycle-Powered Washing Machines
Peruvian Village Teams Up With MIT for Clean Clothes
<
14
Eco Breathing Scooters
Eco Breathing Scooters
The Air Powered Motorbike Moves with the Driving Force of Compressed Gases
<
13
Pedal-Powered Chargers
Pedal-Powered Chargers
Nokia's Bike-Powered Cell Phone Chargers are Pedal Powerful
<
12
Human-Powered Monorails
Human-Powered Monorails
The Shweeb
<
11
Falling Sand-Powered Lights
Falling Sand-Powered Lights
These Clever LED Hourglass Lamps use an Alternative Energy Source
<
10
Hand-Powered Washers
Hand-Powered Washers
The Laundry Pod Washing Machine is a Green-Friendly Way to Get Clean
<
9
Person-Propelled Transportation
Person-Propelled Transportation
The Hyperbike is the World's Fastest Human-Powered Vehicle
<
8
Luminous Power-Harnessing Tiles
Luminous Power-Harnessing Tiles
The Sustainable Dance Floor Feeds Off of Kinetic Energy to Glow
<
7
Energy-Producing Workstations
Energy-Producing Workstations
Eddi Tornberg Harnesses Power From Office Spaces
<
6
Fitness-Powered Lampposts
Fitness-Powered Lampposts
Energyme Streetlights Promote Exercise and Eco Values
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5
Human Vending Machines
Human Vending Machines
Kit Kat's Man-Powered Promo at London Victoria
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4
Human-Powered Motorcycles
Human-Powered Motorcycles
The Tesla E-max Runs on Human Body Heat
<
3
The Sky Cycle
The Sky Cycle
Pedal-Powered Roller Coaster
<
2
Pulse-Powered Music Players
Pulse-Powered Music Players
The MP3 Creative Plays Tunes According to Your Body
<
1
Pedal Powered Submarines
Pedal Powered Submarines
The UV from MIT is for Aspiring Captain Nemos
<