Visitors to the Oregon Convention Center (OCC) can now get in some exercise while also charging their phones and tablets, thanks to an innovative pedal charging station that is on loan to us from local eco-fitness company The Green Microgym.
What at first looks like a standard exercise bicycle is in fact an electricity-generating station that can charge most mobile devices through a universal USB adapter. Users can plug in their Apple, Android and Google devices to give these a needed boost after a short 15-minute “ride” on the station. Most phones and tablets use 8 to 10 watts when charging, but a person pedaling can easily create about 20 watts – and that extra electricity actually helps power the building! Not at the level that our solar panel array does, of course, but it gives without taking.
The charging station is currently located in OCC's Ginkoberry Concourse, one of the most heavily trafficked public areas in the venue. And if the station has to be moved to a different spot for an event, it’s easy to do. It simply needs to be plugged into a power source, but only to start up the station’s display and to send along the excess electricity it generates to the grid.
"These charging station bicycles normally rent for $350 per day," says OCC's sustainability manager Ryan Harvey. "We’ve seen them in exhibitor booths a few times before, but this is the first time we’ve borrowed one for an extended period. We’re excited to see how people take to it!"
“All our guests are welcome to operate the charging station during their visit,” says Cindy Wallace, OCC’s Director of Sales & Marketing. “It’s accessible, couldn’t be easier to use, and a healthy way to spend a break while charging your device. It’s another unique convenience that should immediately appeal to our many sustainably minded guests and employees alike.”
OCC will house the charging station at the Convention Center for the next several months, so if you are here for an event and have the need to “recharge” both your body and your electronic lifeline at the same time, please hop on and give it a spin!
About the Oregon Convention Center
The Oregon Convention Center is owned by Metro and managed by the Metro Exposition and Recreation Commission. OCC is a sustainably operated LEED® Platinum facility that hosts groups from around the world and brings millions of dollars into the Portland and Oregon economy.