It’s not your usual way to charge a cell phone.
But a smart new spring-loaded sidewalk in Telford generates enough electricity from people’s footsteps to power two nearby public charging stations.
People walk or run along the sidewalk to generate electricity, which then powers the free cell phone chargers built into a nearby bank.
It does this using a lithium polymer battery, which is capable of storing renewable electricity or powering things with low wattages such as cell phone chargers, street lights and billboards.
The pavement features a series of tiles made of rubber and stainless steel that can produce 2.1 watts of electricity per hour.
Each tile flexes about five millimeters when stepped on, which then creates kinetic energy that is then converted into electricity.
The vision is to install them in high traffic areas where many pedestrians walk to produce kinetic energy cheaply and sustainably.
An alderman called the initiative ‘a nice way to keep the climate conversation going’.
The technology works in the same way as the kinetic dance floor Coldplay uses for their world tour.
Inventive: It’s not your usual way to charge a cell phone. But a smart new spring-loaded sidewalk in Telford (pictured) generates enough electricity from people’s footsteps to power two nearby public charging stations
People walk or run along the sidewalk to generate electricity, which then powers the free cell phone chargers built into a nearby bank
How it works: Telford & Wrekin Council installed the piece of pavement next to a footbridge on the footbridge from Telford train station to the city
Telford & Wrekin Council installed the piece of pavement next to a footbridge on the footbridge from Telford train station into the city.
The government has also installed a solar-powered digital screen that displays sustainability messages and shows the amount of energy generated by the sidewalk.
British tech firm Pavegen supplied the pavement, which has been funded by Telford & Wrekin Council as part of its £4 million ‘On Your Side’ investment package in the fight against climate change.
Loren Wilson, who was charging her phone, told the… BBC: ‘I think it is also very good for the future.
“It’s useful for people when they’re walking around outside and they don’t just have a charging port there, it’s just really handy and very futuristic too.”
Councilor Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Green Spaces, Natural and Historic Environments and Cultural Services, said: ‘We appreciate that there is a lot going on in people’s lives right now, but it would be a huge step be back when climate action disappears from the radar – that’s why awareness projects like this are so valuable.
‘This sidewalk is a nice way to keep the climate conversation going and to encourage people to think about how they can contribute to making our municipality more sustainable.
“We want people to take away the idea, ‘If my footsteps can generate electricity, think what else I can do!’”
She added: ‘It’s also about letting people know what we as a municipality are doing to fight climate change, which we hope will inspire them to make sustainable changes in their own lives.
“Kids love to walk, run and jump on the new sidewalk and see how much energy they have generated. We hope this project strengthens their sense that their actions, literally, have the power to change the world.”
The chargers are built into a nearby bank that the public can use for free (pictured)
The government has also installed a solar-powered digital screen that displays sustainability messages and shows the amount of energy generated by the sidewalk
Telford City Council said the climate package enabled a number of sustainability projects across the borough, including retrofitting energy efficiency to council properties, installing solar street lights and purchasing electric vehicles.
Pavegen has launched similar resilient pavement projects around the world, from Milan to Hong Kong and Dubai.
Last year, the company installed a section of its pavement at the Leighton Buzzard train station to harness the kinetic energy of commuter footsteps.
They are located in a school corridor in East London, where they are currently being monitored for durability and performance while providing power to the building.
Laurence Kemball-Cook, CEO and founder of Pavegen, said: “Pavegen is committed to creating smarter cities that focus on people and technology.
“This installation with Telford is a great step towards making a major transport hub in the UK smarter and greener, while educating and engaging citizens in Telford’s drive to build a better planet.
“We’ve developed this technology to withstand the harshest winters and we’re excited that the residents of Telford are going to try their hand at generating their own energy!”
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