The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers is claiming a world's first by allowing guests to power the building via exercise bikes wired to the grid.

Guests spinning on the electric-generating bikes can even monitor their renewable contribution via bike-mounted iPhones. In fact, enthusiastic guests can "race" against the hotel's solar panels. The electric bikes will be installed this week as part of a year long test run.

For every 10 watt hours or more of electricity produced, guests will receive a locally produced complimentary meal. This means you'd have to pedal for six minutes at 20 mph to get your renewable energy Happy Meal. Does that seem a bit easy?

The hotel wanted the goal to be "achievable" so as many people as possible could take part.

The hotel's general manager, Allan Agerholm, said "The electric bikes offer our guests the chance to get fit and help power the hotel at the same time. "

The 366-room hotel is Denmark's first to use a groundwater-based cooling and heating system and is home to the largest solar panel park in Northern Europe. The climate system reduces the energy used in the hotel for heating and cooling by almost 90-percent.

Like this article? Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook.

Source: Gizmag