“Green” Pavement Slabs to Generate Electricity when Walked Over

The search for alternative energy sources is gathering momentum. This has got to be good news for all the environmental activists who complain that we aren’t doing enough to address some of our current environmental issues. From solar power to wind power we are exploiting every source that offers some potential. In the meantime we also develop revolutionary ideas and ways of powering some of our basic daily requirements.

The newest innovation that’s making the rounds in London is the green pavement slab which can generate electricity when walked over, with a promise to light up London by 2012!

Pavegen systems…

Which is a London based company has developed this fascinating green technology and they claim that there are plans to install 16,000 such slabs in London by summer 2012 (with an eye on the Olympics too maybe?) and this could power anything from street lamps to bus stops to subway stations!

More on the green pavement slab…

It is a specially designed pavement slab which is covered with a rubber layer. This rubber comes from recycled old tires. There is a disc in the middle and it glows when it’s stepped on. When this disc is compressed as people step on it that energy is converted into electricity and stored in an internal battery.

London…

Is the most populous municipality in the European Union. The London metropolitan area has a total estimated population of between 12 million and 14 million. As such there are places in the city where over 50,000 steps are taken every day! These are ideal locations for the green pavement slab.