This Treadmill Generates Electricity As You Jog

What if running at the gym could produce more than just sweat? A new treadmill from SportsArt creates electricity from the user’s kinetic energy, banking renewable power with each step.

The Verde treadmill generates up to 200 watts of electricity per hour through a micro-inverter built inside the machine. These tiny devices are also used in solar panels and wind turbines to convert the harnessed direct current (DC) power into an alternating current (AC) that can be sent to the grid. With the Verde, gyms could theoretically produce some of their own energy — and some already are.

“We’re excited to be bringing the world’s first energy producing treadmill to market and to continue trailblazing the green fitness space,” Ivo Grossi, CEO of SportsArt America, said in a press release this spring.

“It’s always been important for us to create quality equipment that will appeal to the largest fitness market demographic –  the millennials. At SportsArt, we are committed to constantly revolutionizing the fitness industry with our green initiatives and have worked hard to perfect these new products.”

In addition to the Verde, SportsArt also offers the N685 treadmill. While both treadmills harness electricity from their users’ pounding feet, the Verde draws a small amount of power through its plug. The N685, on the other hand, is completely non-motorized and self-powered.

But the treadmills are not SportsArt’s first foray into green gym technology. The company has a whole range of energy-producing gym equipment. The appropriately named ECO-POWR line includes seven different stationary bikes, three elliptical machines, and a combination elliptical-stepper cross-trainer. 

This equipment has already helped gyms reduce their reliance on dirty power sources. The Eco Gym in Rochester, for instance, switched to 100 percent renewable energy by stocking some of the bikes and ellipticals — and supplementing the rest of their power needs with rooftop solar panels and small wind turbines.

Now the Verde treadmills are hitting gyms worldwide. Sacramento Eco Fitness added the Verde to its roster of SportsArt equipment in April, while the Eco Gym in Brighton, U.K., ordered some this September.

In addition to its unique energy features, the Verde comes with smart brake technology, electronic speed and resistance control, and a USB port that lets users charge devices as they run. It can be paired with an app to track your workout — so you can see how many calories you’ve burned, on top of all the power you’ve produced.