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A smart street in London
By Jinny Throup
Technology which is capable of generating electricity from human movement has now been installed on Bird Street in London’s West End. This energy-harvesting ‘smart street’, installed by Pavegen, converts the power of footsteps into electricity. People can even track the amount of energy that they are creating on this power generating pavement by connecting to an app. The energy that you produce is then converted into vouchers, discounts, and most importantly, clean electricity.
Pavegen CEO, Laurence Kemball-Cook is keen to explain that this technology has commercial advantages by bringing more life to the retail shopping experience. He explains: “As retailers compete with online shopping, technologies like ours make being in the busy high street more exciting and rewarding for people and brands alike”. It is hoped that if this proves successful that similar concepts may be installed in other areas of London.