In the heart of Morocco, researchers are pedaling towards a future where gyms double as power plants. Abdelfattah El Azzab, from the EEIS Laboratory at ENSET Mohammedia, Hassan II University in Casablanca, has led a groundbreaking study that could revolutionize energy management in commercial spaces. The research, published in the journal Scientific African, explores the integration of stationary bikes, solar power, and battery storage in gym microgrids, all controlled by a sophisticated fuzzy logic system.
Imagine stepping into a gym where every pedal stroke contributes to powering the facility. This isn’t a distant dream but a reality that El Azzab and his team are bringing closer. Their system, detailed in the study, uses stationary bikes connected to a DC bus via AC/DC converters, acting as intermittent power sources. “The novelty of our approach lies in the implementation of a fuzzy logic control strategy,” El Azzab explains. “This allows us to achieve multiple control objectives within the gym microgrid environment, ensuring efficient energy management and user-specific operation.”
The gym microgrid isn’t just about harnessing human power. It also integrates a photovoltaic (PV) generation system, interfaced through a DC-DC boost converter, and gym loads. The fuzzy logic control (FLC) strategy manages the dynamic behavior of the system, ensuring that each stationary bike controls the speed applied by the athlete to extract energy, the energy storage system is protected by monitoring its current and voltage, and the maximum power is extracted from the PV system. All this while maintaining the DC bus voltage at a specified reference value.
The implications for the energy sector are vast. Gyms, with their high energy consumption and numerous stationary bikes, are ideal candidates for such microgrids. This research could pave the way for similar systems in other commercial spaces, reducing grid dependence and promoting renewable energy use. “The system’s performance is demonstrated using the MATLAB/Simulink environment, with numerous simulations confirming that all control objectives are met,” El Azzab states, highlighting the robustness of their approach.
The study, published in Scientific African, which translates to ‘African Journal of Science’, is a testament to the innovative research coming out of Morocco. It’s not just about powering gyms; it’s about reimagining how we generate and manage energy in commercial spaces. As we look to a future where sustainability is key, research like this could shape the next generation of energy management systems. So, the next time you hit the gym, remember, you might just be pedaling towards a more sustainable future.
