Getting back to Ernest, in Malawi; this short MBC (Malawi Broadcasting Corporation) article, from 27th of February, actually quotes a power output for the device in its present form (20 watts)
Note that some articles, such as the one below, claim that Ernest's device works by blowing compressed air through turbines - but still doesn't need fuel.
https://africaglobalnews.com/m…th-air-powered-generator/
QuoteThe air-powered generator, crafted from repurposed components and locally sourced materials, operates on a remarkably simple principle bypassing fuel consumption. Compressed air is channeled through a series of turbines and generators, producing clean and renewable energy with minimal environmental impact.
Tesla and Cold Fusion mentioned in this video.Starting at 9:50 minute mark.
Interestingly, there is a completely different version of the Malawi story at DW.com
Notice that the green box does not have a vent hole at the back to match up with the internal fan.
Also, in this video Ernest is talking about killing and dissecting a “hedgehog” to learn the principle on which his machine is based. (n.b. in a previous story, this was a porcupine - so it might be a translation error)
The various versions of the story do not really make sense, taken as a whole. This would usually suggest that it is more likely to be some kind of hoax - but there are things about this story that are still intriguing.
The DW website posted another version of their video on 19th March 2024 (their original was posted on 7th February 2024). The new version mostly uses the same video footage, but edited slightly differently - and with a different commentary.
This time they don't mention "killing the hedgehog", but still translate Ernest talking about collecting stones to make magnets. As for how this is supposed to work, the narrator just vaguely mentions "thermodynamic principles".
Note that the DW footage seems to have been shot before the VOA video, and there are quite a few differences in the equipment. There is no tin-roofed adobe shed, and the bicycle wheel is mounted on a much taller pole. There is also an old fan strapped to a crossbar near the wheel.
n.b. Old BLDC fan motors, with dead driver circuits, can be wired as multi phase AC generators. But if this is meant to catch the wind, to turn, then it is not particularly well mounted - as the airflow is partly blocked by the crossbar.
