As technological possibilities increase, urban planning and engineering have adapted pedestrian pathways into kinetic pavements. The paths of the future can convert kinetic energy from pedestrian footsteps into usable electricity. The new technology offers hope for infrastructural sustainability challenges in given environments. This article will cover the technology behind the kinetic road, how it’s used to enhance urban renewable energy sources, how citizens have reacted and what they have learned, and a case study of cities leading the technological efforts.
What is Kinetic Energy Harvesting?
Pavements occupy large hectares of land in urban and rural regions, acquiring millions of square kilometres. The areas are prone to continued stresses from the movement of vehicles over them. Therefore, the roads have potential energy.
Kinetic energy harvesting is a technology that generates electrical power from the environmental energy of motion or vibration, i.e. wind, waves, vehicle motion, machinery tremor, human motion, etc. This electrical energy generated can be used to fuel small and low-energy electronics.
The researchers in question propose utilising the output voltage of kinetic energy harvesting to detect transportation modes. This is based on the understanding that the vibration energy encountered by a passenger is dependent on the mode of transportation they use – walking, running, bus, bicycle, driving, etc.
Piezoelectric material – the mechanism used in this study to convert kinetic to electric power produces an AC voltage proportional to the applied stress, albeit under stress from environmental vibrations. Different vibration patterns will produce differing AC voltage patterns, too, and a pattern must be detected as a clue.
Basics of Kinetic Pavement Technology
Kinetic pavement technology is premised on a basic principle that involves the conversion of footstep-pressure energy into electrical energy as part of the earth’s surface’s heat source.
When individuals walk on pavement, the pressure and movement exerted by footsteps are captured by the sensors and generators beneath the pavement surface. When individuals walk on the installed systems, the pressure flexes them slightly. They are specially designed to capture and convert this deflection into electric power.
Various mechanisms, such as electromagnetic generators, convert mechanical energy into electrical power. The electricity generated can be stored in batteries or supplied directly to the local utilities, such as phone charge stations, lighting, data collection systems, etc.
How to Harness Kinetic Energy?
Kinetic roads have a straightforward and smart technique for turning the energy produced by moving vehicles into electrical energy. Kinetic roads have an embedded piezoelectric material that converts moving vehicles’ mechanical energy into a sustainable and renewable source of energy.
When cars pass photons from the vehicles moving over the top of the piezoelectric material in the roads’ embedded sensor, electrical energy is released. The resulting energy has a wide range of potential applications, including as a recharging option for the national network and powering street lighting and traffic lights.
Impact on Urban Sustainability
The applications of kinetic pavements in urban infrastructure come with numerous benefits to sustainability.
- Primarily, the pavements reduce the need for fossil fuels through the provision of renewable energy harvesting, which aids in reducing carbon emissions and fighting climate change.
- Additionally, the kinetic energy generations are decentralised in the urban setup, ensuring added energy resilience and reliability.
Kinetic pavements also promote active transportation and healthier living by encouraging walking and cycling. As pedestrians recognise the possibility of generating clean energy, they develop intrinsic motivation for environmental stewardship and community participation.
Benefits of the Kinetic Roads
One of the most exciting aspects of kinetic pavements is their potential to genuinely engage the public in sustainability efforts. These installations are more than artwork – they are educational symbols that showcase energy efficiency and renewable energy. By physically demonstrating the connection between human movement and kinetic energy generation, the roads enable the public to understand their impact better.
Moreover, the very idea of walking or driving on electric-generating pavement is fascinating; it arouses people’s curiosity and sense of wonder. In other words, it makes citizens eager to learn more about the concept and talk to their neighbours and colleagues about it. Public spaces with kinetic roads become centres of activity, proliferation of knowledge, and exploration of the latest trends in sustainability and urban activity.
Here are some of the key advantages of kinetic energy in pavements,
Reducing Carbon Footprint
The most apparent benefit of kinetic roads is the reduction of carbon dioxide released. Kinetic roads actively support the nation’s electrical grid and, instead of relying entirely on classic sources, reduce the need for additional power to be generated.
Traditional roads function as passive structures and driver passages more than active byways. Kinetic pavements actively lower transportation byways while increasing the national electrical grid’s sustainability.
Sustainable Infrastructure
Kinetic roads are yet another tremendous addition to infrastructural and urban development for sustainable infrastructure. In addition to sustainability, the roads can also generate energy. Uses such as constructing the components of kinetic roads through sustainable methods using recycled materials illustrate how urban and infrastructural development could be.
Practical Applications of Kinetic Energy Harvesting
As a promising technology, energy harvesting can generate renewable, clean energy from the ambient environment by capturing unused and wasted energy. Nowadays, more and more energy regenerative technologies are proposed to harvest ambient energy such as kinetic energy, solar, wind, sound, and wave.
Converted into Electrical Energy
The essence of kinetic energy harvesting is its practical application: motion is converted into electrical energy. For example, urban streets are covered with smart surfaces that actively capture the movements of tiny vehicles and human bodies, making the cities independent and authority-free centralised electrical power generation networks.Â
Systems to Harness Kinetic Energy
Various systems and technologies to harness kinetic energy were developed. From energy tiles planted on a sidewalk to intelligent roadways that convert the vibration of vehicles into electrical power, all these can be treated as the most illustrative examples of how versatile the kinetic energy harvester can be.
Case Studies from Cities Implementing Kinetic Pavements
Many cities around the world have tried kinetic pavement technology to promote urban sustainability and the use of renewable energy.
Typical examples include,
Kinetic Tiles in Bird Street in London
Bird Street in London uses kinetic tiles installed to generate energy whenever shoppers step on the products. The energy produced by the kinetic tiles is used to light the street lights as well as other amenities around the street. This amazing use of technology ensures public engagement since the aim is transforming the city for the better.
Pavegen 24 Kinetic Tiles Installation:
The most remarkable move was the fact that Pavegen was able to construct 24 Kinetic Tiles in the corridor of a grammar school. The daily use of kinetic energy generation while welcoming more than a thousand students was in itself a groundbreaking and unprecedented step.
Challenges and Future Developments
Although kinetic roads appear promising, there are several considerations. The only disadvantage of generating electricity from roads is that it is more expensive to install than to build ordinary roads. Furthermore, while the most suitable potential roads are those built in established towns, they will typically be costly for taxpayers. While these streets produce less energy than conventional power stations, this would not be a viable power source.
On the other hand, promoters and researchers state that, over the long term, energy savings and decreased maintenance costs will recoup the initial investment. In some specific cases, such as natural catastrophes or diverse related emergency conditions, roads might be powered.
Due to the ability to green energy harvesting at a very minimal cost without benefiting from natural resources, kinetic road technology is potentially a significant breakthrough. Converting road traffic into energy adds a brand new feature to government aspirations for urban renewable energy advancements.
Urban Renewable Energy-Way Forward
Urban kinetic energy harvesting is more than a new promising technology. It’s a radical shift in our approach to power production. From the movement we make in our daily activities to the small vibrations a car bumping onto a curb makes, there is a wide range of approaches. Amidst the climate change crisis and rapidly rising demand for energy, urban kinetic energy seems to be a lifeline.
Continued dedication and innovation in kinetic energy harvesting reveal that streets and pathways act as either a reality today or in the near future. In this revolutionary effort, we can transform individuals into clean energy hubs, creating a sustainable, environmentally friendly future. We have the chance to revolutionise our energy sources and the adoption of renewable energy in urban areas.
