A step into the future: Pavegen turns kinetic energy into electricity

In recent years, the UK has made significant leaps in the switch to cleaner energy, with 7,054 onshore, and 1,832 offshore wind turbines, which accounted for 15% of Britain’s electricity in 2017. In the same year, solar power contributed to 3.4% of Britain’s electricity generation. Moreover, the Guardian reported last year that, in 2018, 53% of the UK’s energy production came from low-carbon sources, and this was the first time that cleaner energy made up more than half of the UK’s electricity generation. 

A step in the right direction

While renewable energy sources are becoming more prominent, there’s more to be done in order to reach the UK target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It has been estimated that, in 2017, about 20% of the UK’s CO2 emissions came from burning coal, oil and gas to generate electricity. Although this figure is 14% lower than in 1990, it still represents a significant chunk of Britain’s greenhouse gas production, and highlights the need for other, perhaps more avant-garde, alternatives. 

Innovation paves the way to a greener future

Complicated issues such as climate change require innovative solutions - and Laurence Kemball-Cook put his best foot forward in the creation of Pavegen in 2009. Designed with smart cities in mind, Pavegen produces paving slabs that convert the kinetic energy of people’s footsteps into electricity. Electromagnetic generators within the Pavegen system are compressed, producing 2 to 4 watt seconds of off-grid electricity. The newest paving slab design is triangular, so that 100% of the energy from a footstep is captured. 

The lowdown:

Company: Pavegen

Founded: 2009

Founder/Inventor/Designer: Laurence Kemball-Cook

Materials: Copper coils and magnets for electromagnetic conduction

Revenue: £1.78 million in 2018 

Price of tiles: the first tiles were £20,000 per sq m, but Kemball-Cook wants to reduce this to £500

Clients: Google, Heathrow, Westfield, among others

Installations: Smart city developments, retail hubs and sports stadia in Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Korea, USA and UK

How effective are the Pavegen tiles?

While the innovation behind the Pavegen walkways is applaudable, there is no data on the company’s website relating how the electricity generated from footsteps translates into everyday scenarios. After a little digging, it was surprising to find that, according to one 2017 article, 270 tiles in an area of 80 square metres can generate 1kW of power from 120 pedestrians, so this could power ten 100 watt light bulbs for an hour. 

Seeing as the electricity produced by Pavegen tiles is off-grid, the walkways are generally used to power lighting and other electrical appliances in the surrounding area. This means that the system could indeed be useful in busy areas of smart cities or retail malls, providing a cleaner solution to traditional power supplies. Energy generated through the tiles can also be stored in batteries, so this can compensate for times when walkways are less busy. But the sheer number of footsteps needed to create a worthwhile and reliable energy supply cannot be ignored (nor can the steep price of the tiles).

Data falls into step with sustainability

Data is a huge part of Pavegen’s mission to create cleaner, healthier cities. Each walkway has in-built Bluetooth, which allows pedestrians to connect their phones to the system. This can provide companies and communities with anonymous data about footfall and also offers pedestrians points for their steps. These points can be exchanged for rewards, although it is unclear what these rewards are. Nevertheless, the incentive-based points system is a clever idea to encourage people to engage with sustainability and get active at the same time

One case study shows a 17-square metre walkway in London’s Broadgate, which is connected to a screen showing how much energy is being generated with each footstep. This was featured on the BBC news, and the video shows children jumping on the tiles and people engaging with the technology. Granted, this may have been just for the cameras, but there is something to be said for actually showing people on a screen how much energy they are generating with each step. Not only does it promote awareness of cleaner energy, but it highlights the power of the individual to make a change, one step at a time. A similar walkway has been installed in Abu Dhabi Airport. 

Is the future in our footsteps?

Harnessing the kinetic energy of footsteps is undeniably a simple yet ingenious idea. It allows communities to take full advantage of busy areas, using renewable energy that would have otherwise been wasted while encouraging people to be active at the same time. Add to that the data collected via bluetooth and it’s clear that Pavegen truly is a forward-thinking company. 

Although the rewards people can earn from their footsteps are not specified anywhere, this system incentivises pedestrians to use the walkways and become more environmentally conscious at the same time. Data about footfall in certain areas can also help the walkways become more efficient in the future, as busier areas could be targeted for new installations.

However, it’s clear that a lot of Pavegen tiles, and a lot of people, are needed in order for the walkways to produce a worthwhile amount of energy. The high price of the paving slabs may also deter investors, when other, cheaper, forms of renewable energy are available. 

For now, Pavegen may only be a good clean energy solution in smaller, concentrated areas. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction, highlighting the power of imagination, innovation and the individual.