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Pedal Power: Clif Bar HQ Turns Spin Classes Into Electricity

clif bar spin classes bike generators power building
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Clif Bars usually fuel people. But now, people are helping fuel Clif Bars.

clif bar spin classes bike generators power building

A dozen corporate employees pour sweat in Clif Bar and Company‘s Emeryville, Calif., headquarters. They furiously pedal stationary bikes in the company’s gym spin class.

Their goal: Burn calories, improve cardio, and keep the lights on. That’s because this month, Clif Bar retrofitted 12 spin class bikes with generators to turn pedal power into usable energy for the building.

Clif Bar Pedal-Powered Headquarters

The company expects the bikes to generate about 300 kwh of electricity. That’s enough to power the average home for 10 days, the brand claimed.

clif bar spin classes bike generators power building

That’s not going to make a huge dent in the HQ’s power demands, but the brand said it’s less about the power it generates, and more about changing habits and awareness.

“These spin bikes are more intended to spark a dialogue and encourage Clif Bar and Company employees to think about how they are consuming electricity within their own lives and the environmental benefits of riding bikes,” said a representative for the brand.

Clif Goes Green(er)

The energy bar giant’s green projects go beyond pedal power. The company claims 80-percent of its headquarters’ total energy demands come from rooftop solar panels.

clif bar spin classes bike generators power building
Clif Bar’s Twin Falls, Idaho, bakery opened last year
And last year, it opened a $90 million, 300,000 ft.² bakery in Twin Falls, Idaho, entirely powered by wind energy credits.

It also pays employees to help them buy commuter bikes and provides monetary incentives for biking to work.

During National Bike To Work Month this May, Clif Bar will donate $5,000 to cycling non-profits chosen by the employees who log the most miles.

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