01 Apr Key Tech Goes Off the Grid
Baltimore, MD (April 1, 2010) – Located in downtown Baltimore, we see the effect of smog and pollution on the Harbor. We are also acutely aware of the costs of rising energy prices and the impact they can have on a small business. We are happy to announce that after two years of development, Key Tech is operating a prototype perpetual motion power-plant to supply all of the electrical power required to operate the building. The system operates quietly in the basement and gives off zero emissions.
As anyone attempting to build a mechanical perpetual motion machine can attest, getting it started can be tough. However, the Blizzards of 2010 helped ease the burden. Our building roof is roughly 100 meters long x 35 meters wide and 20 meters from the ground. We used the immense Potential Energy of 1.5 meter (60”) deep snow (~30kg/m3) from the blizzards to start the machine by fabricating a pulley lift system and simply shoveling the heavy snow onto a platform which naturally lowered to the ground.
That shoveling effort generated over 30 million Kilo-joules of energy, which was enough to get the machine started – and instigate a few snowball fights – and it has been running smoothly since February 12th. The next version of the machine is currently in development and is expected to be able to power a small city (without the dependence on weather phenomena to get it started). Key Tech has entered into contract negotiations with a “large power utility” to license the technology for applications worldwide.
Photo credit: John Nyberg
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