Road humps for energy? Ateneans find a way

MANILA, Philippines – What do humps have to do with energy? 

Voltaire Tupaz reports, young Filipino students innovate an energy solution that uses — yes — road humps.

Everyday, hundreds of cars pass through this hump in Ateneo. 
Students rushing to class see it as an inconvenience.
But for Lorenz Ray Payonga, it’s the launching pad of a project for alternative energy. 

What if springs, magnets and coils are placed below the hump to produce energy? 
It’s an idea inspired by a theory he learned in class – electromagnetic induction.
He discusses the idea with classmates in Ateneo.

LORENZ RAY PAYONGA, STUDENT INNOVATOR: It was a Eureka moment I thought of… this can be a good project. And I told her about it, and then we talked about it.

The idea evolved into a project they called Oscillohump.

LORENZ RAY PAYONGA, STUDENT INNOVATOR: Oscillohump because it came from two words, oscillation and hump. So as you have seen earlier, when you press this, it has an oscillation. And because of that oscillation, we produce energy and because it’s a hump, that’s why it’s called oscillohump.

The project wins in the Go Green competition in Paris, France, beating 25 other teams from other countries including the US, Germany, China, and Singapore. 
What impressed the judges? 
The simplicity of the idea addresses two concerns which cities often treat separately – road safety and energy efficiency.

ALYSSA TRICIA VINTOLA, STUDENT INNOVATOR: We are given this opportunity to just share this ideas and share a possible solution to road safety, the problem regarding road safety, energy efficiency, cost efficiency and it has been great.

Lorenz and Alyssa plan to test their innovation in their campus. 
If they get support from the government and the business sector, they want to extend its use to public roads like drive-thrus, toll gates, and residential areas.
The humps will power streetlights.

Who would have thought a hump can generate power? 
Young Filipino innovators did. 
Now its up to the country’s leaders to turn this bright idea into reality.

Voltaire Tupaz, Rappler, Manila. – Rappler.com