Ping Recreation Center's 20 elliptical machines are generating far less energy than anticipated, but Ohio University administrators say they are not worried about the shortfall.
So far this school year, machines equipped with the ReCardio energy system have generated between 180 and 185 kilowatt hours of energy, said Hafedh Benhadj, Ping Center's associate director. This number is far from a goal of 2,500 kilowatt-hours of energy per year set last fall. A sign in Ping's stairway measures progress toward the goal.
Benhadj said measurements show the elliptical machines - which cost $14,000 to install - are generating at a rate of around 50 watt-hours per 30-minute workout, and around 15 kilowatt-hours of energy a week, which is fed into Ping's local power grid. He said the number has been increasing since Winter Quarter began.
I set (our goal) high just to give students a target
Benhadj said.
He said he hopes to hold a group competition to increase usage of the elliptical machines this spring, but in the end, it falls to Ping's visitors to generate the electricity.
It really is very tough since it is on a voluntary basis Benhadj said. We can't force people to get on them.
He said the program requires initiative to get users to generate more electricity.
This whole system is brand new Benhadj said. We're trying to get creative to see how we can increase use.
Doug Franklin, assistant dean of Recreation and Wellness, said the numbers do not concern him at all.
I haven't lost my view that this is not about revenue
Franklin said.
The program educates students about sustainability and green energy, Franklin said, adding that kind of education is difficult to quantify. A survey will be conducted in the spring to gauge how the machines were used and how much energy they generated over the year, as well as what students learned from the machines.
Other universities using ReCardio machines - which are produced by the ReRev company of Clearwater, Fla. - have also avoided cost-recovery timetables on the machines. The University of Oregon, which has had 13 elliptical machines equipped with ReCardio since May 2009, does not even keep track of the energy generated.
Bryan Haunert, University of Oregon's associate director of Facilities, said the costs associated with the machines are unimportant compared to the lesson they teach students about green energy.
Our main goal was strictly an educational aspect
Haunert said. We know the system is not going to provide us 'X' amount of power per day or lower our electric bill by thousands.
Haunert said the university did keep track when competing with Oregon State University, which has 22 ReCardio-equipped machines. During a three-and-a-half-day period, the University of Oregon generated 12 kilowatt-hours of energy from its 13 machines.
Franklin said he shared the sentiment that education, not electricity, is the point of the machines.
If students are more cognizant of the energy they use than before
then it's worth it
Franklin said, I don't look at (the numbers) as a major drawback.
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Tristan Navera
