Select a region
Kinetic energy created by the footsteps of pedestrians as they walk by is being used to power street lights in Las Vegas.
It’s part of a new system installed by a New York start-up, EnGoPlanet, in one part of the city. Solar panels gather and store energy during the day, while micro-generators in the pavement also store energy created by footsteps.
The lights then turn on automatically at night.
Not only that, they also contain motion sensors so turn on as pedestrians approach them.
EnGoPlanet says the smart street lights are designed to promote clean, renewable energy use and are cheap to install.
The street lamps also come with WiFi hotspots and charging points for phones and other devices and can reduce maintenance costs and electric bills in some areas by up to 75%.
The company is also looking into ways to use the street lights on motorways and is keen to expand the technology to other US cities.
