Could floor tiles provide enough energy to power Market Harborough?

Whilst solar, wind and hydropower are the first things that spring to mind when you think of renewable energy, one entrepreneur has thought up another option – harnessing the kinetic energy of people going about their everyday business.

Whilst on a placement year at a large energy company, Laurence Kemball-Cook was given a brief to find a way of powering street lighting with solar energy and wind – neither of which worked due to the crowded nature of urban spaces. He realised that the only way forward was through kinetic energy, and his floor tile idea was born.

Kemball-Cook’s floor tile converts the kinetic energy from footsteps into electricity; every time someone steps on a tile, seven watts of power is generated. The energy produced is stored within batteries, and is then used to power lighting when necessary, providing an off-grid power source.

Harborough’s square has changed a lot in appearance over the years.

Since its creation seven years ago, Kemball-Cook’s company Pavegen has worked with famous brands including Coca-Cola and Siemens, and installed tiles at 2014’s World Cup and Heathrow terminal three.

Could Harborough benefit from Pavegen’s tiles? It’s just the sort of innovation that Harborough Energy could be interested in getting involved with. If you would like to get involved in local energy projects in the Harborough area – either as a land owner or an investor, contact Harborough Energy today to find out more.