Dogs help un-leash alternative energy

Dog walkers can now generate electricity and sell it back to the grid thanks to new microgeneration technology. The YukonU Research Centre (YRC) has unleashed the “Pooch-e”, a dog leash that helps address Yukon energy security, and builds our self-sufficiency and climate resilience. 

This research project tested a leash that charges an internal battery as Fido explores the range of his tether and marks his innovative path to the future. The retractable leash charges the onboard battery; when the walker returns home, the leash is clipped to a wall mounted receptacle and the energy flows straight into the grid.  “Dog power has been part of Yukon’s history,” says research lead Barkley Marksthetree. “It is time for lead dogs to take charge for the future.”   

The project will be piloted over the next year with results to be published April 1, 2022.

Happy April Fool’s Day.

Photo by Alexandra Glaser on Unsplash