City officials have announced that they’ll be installing power-generating tiles in the sidewalks in the city center for two weeks as a test run of using people power to create electricity.The move is one of the latest in attempts by municipalities and companies to turn the basic elements of daily life into energy-generating activities, from revolving doors to workout equipment.
From a report in the GuardianAs part of wider efforts to put France’s south-western technology capital at the forefront of green wizardry, city authorities are testing out a scheme to generate electricity for street lights through the stamping feet of passers-by.
Designers say the section of eight custom-made modules placed in the city centre for a two-week trial period can produce between 50 and 60 watts of electricity to power a nearby street lamp.
It is the first time the modules — unveiled to the world by Dutch company Sustainable Dance Club (SDC) for use in nightclubs — have been tested on the street. For Alexandre Marciel, the city’s deputy mayor in charge of sustainable development, the new function is potentially ground-breaking.
The modules work by installing a generator that draws energy when compressed, as seen below in an image from Sustainable Dance Club.
The LEDs are optional for city use, though they might provide added incentive for pedestrians to stroll around the city center in Toulouse.
GreenBiz first reported on the energy-generating dance floor back in 2008, along side the news about a revolving door that creates electricity with each spin.
SDC’s power-generating dance floor tiles are also in use in Surya Club4Climate in London and at Club WATT in Rotterdam.
Renewable Energy Advances
