I found this article in the Daily Mail newspaper. What a great idea!
PAVING stones which generate electricity simply by being stepped on could soon be powering their way on to the High Street.
The green slabs, which contain a light that gets brighter according to how much energy is stored, are designed to ‘ flex’ less than 5mm when walked over. Although this movement cannot be detected by pedestrians, it is enough to generate electricity.
Inventor Laurence KemballCook said the slabs could be used to power anything from lighting at bus stops to ticket machines and automatic shop doors.
And he revealed that the average paving stone on a busy street is stepped on around 50,000 times a day – which makes it a huge untapped energy source.
An East London street is now testing the Pavegen technology, which, if successful, could be rolled out across the country.
Mr Kemball-Cook, 24, said: ‘ Imagine how much energy could be stored from just a single day’s shopping on Oxford Street.’
Commuter Carly Harman, 25, who lives in London, said: ‘ I walk two miles to work every day and to know that every step I take can help save energy is amazing.
‘ When people find out where the paving slabs are I dare say they will make a beeline for them for the novelty of it – and that it is a very green thing to do.’
