Electrical power solution - genius.

[leo bernstein]

Put convicts on bicycles with generators attached. They get to ride and
watch TV, eat otherwise unavailable treats while generating clean energy.
Minimum ride contribution four hours, no more than ten.

All volunteers accumulate early release credits based on generated energy
total.

You don't want to ride? No problem - sit in your cell, eat baloney
sandwiches and wear a dress.

[Dimitris Tzortzakakis]

the problem is, even if you put all inmates cycling, you'd hardly gather
enough energy to run a dozen metro trains in NYC. The same is for
"clean" energy. Even if you put a photovoltaic or a wind turbine on
every free field across USA, you wouldn't generate enough electricity to
replace all conventional (including natural gas) power stations.

[Dimitris Tzortzakakis]

not to mention that "green" generation is based on the caprices of the
sun or the wind, meaning that they only generate when there is sun or
wind. usually the utility has to gave a rotating reserve on line.
electricity has to be generated on the fly. people talking about
batteries must be tongue-in-cheek_ there is no battery technology for
power grids yet, not on the forseeable future.