Our footsteps become sources of energy with Pavegen: protecting the planet one step at a time

Could a simple activity like walking actually help us transition to green energy sources? Energy Observer Solutions met Laurence Kemball-Cook, CEO of Pavegen, who launched kinetic energy-generating tiles in London, an innovation to follow step by step.

What if our footsteps on the city’s pavements could produce energy? That’s just what Pavegen is proposing in London, by manufacturing walkways, which produce electricity from the pressure of our footsteps.

Pavegen, one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind

In the UK, a London-based start-up has found a fantastic solution for transforming the energy of crowds into kinetic energy. Using a device integrated in the walkway, Pavegen is capable of transforming the energy from each of our footsteps into electricity. As they walk along, pedestrians activate small electromagnetic generators positioned under the walkway. Its technology is very promising for areas with heavy footfall such as stations or shopping centers.

Facing up to the challenge of providing a city with sustainable energy 

Lighting consumes 2,900 terawatts/hour of electricity per year, which equates to nearly 20% of the world’s energy consumption! As such, the sustainable city has to seek alternative solutions to free itself of fossil energies. The progress made in renewable energies is picking up speed, but it needs to be supported by suitable solutions, because not all renewable energies are geared around city life. Photovoltaic energy is gradually permeating the urban fabric, but for now wind power remains confined to large open spaces.

Energy Observer is the name of the first hydrogen-powered, zero-emission vessel to be self-sufficient in energy, advocating and serving as a laboratory for ecological transition. Criss-crossing the oceans without air or noise pollution for marine ecosystems, Energy Observer sets out to meet women and men who devote their energy to creating sustainable solutions for a more harmonious world.

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