The Power Generator For Easy Transport
Technology continues to become more portable, providing convenience and easy access for people on the go. Such examples of this include laptops, cellphones, iPods, netbooks and digital cameras. However, the energy sources for the tech we rely on are usually not so convenient. Batteries have a limited charge, so they eventually have to be recharged or replaced and special power cords and adapters have to be plugged into a stationary wall socket. If energy sources need to become more portable for easy transport, how about a power generator you can carry on your back?
Of course, you may be wondering how this is possible. The answer lies with Bourne Energy’s new development called the Backpack Power Plant or BPP-2. It is a thirty-pound, hydroelectric device that generates fifty watts of energy. That’s the same amount of power you can get from sixty solar panels. The device is about the size of a tall airtank and can be easily carried like a backpack. It can be used in any stream of water deeper than four feet and runs quietly without giving off heat or exhaust.
A version of the BPP exists for the consumer, though it is still just a prototype. It is installed by using two synthetic ropes with lightweight anchors for each rope to hold down both sides of the BPP in a stream. Futhermore, the ropes have to be connected to two trenches, both dug up on opposite sides in the stream. High-tension mooring systems are used in the same way for oil rigs on water. A version of the device was also developed for the military and it can be used in streams of various flow rates. However, the consumer version can be only be used in streams with a flow rate of 7.5 feet per second and the current cost is $3,000.
The Backpack Power Plant is mainly intended for developing countries where it could be used for distant villages and towns and it is set to be released in 2012. I’m very fascinated by Bourne Energy’s new device. After all, it could be very helpful to have a portable generator that can be easily carried by hand. However, with its current price, I wonder how practical it will be for the consumer in the near future.
Tags: Backpack Power Plant, Bourne Energy, BPP, energy source, portable, power generator
