Meet the streetlights that are powered by footsteps
Lux, November 30, 2016
A new street lighting system that harnesses energy from pedestrians’ footsteps has been installed in Las Vegas in the United States.
The foot-powered fixtures were developed by EngoPlanet, a New York based start-up.
The street lights are part-powered by kinetic energy generated by footsteps, which is absorbed by tiles installed in the pavement and then channeled to the lights. Solar panels are also used to boost energy levels when footfall starts to flag.
The side-walk tiles were developed by London-based company Pavegen and they have been installed in cities around the world.
Four streetlights and eight kinetic pads were fitted in the small Arts District plaza between Main and First streets in the desert gambling hub.
Each footstep can create four to eight watts, depending on the pressure of the step, which is then channeled to the lighting.
Pavegen claims that each pedestrian generates an average of five watts per footstep at 12-48 volts DC, which is enough to run an LED street lamp for thirty seconds.