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Entrepreneur Laurence Kemball-Cook and his Paving promise to make a simple walk generate clean energy

Have you thought about converting all the steps you take daily into electricity? Laurence Kemball-Cook yes. Founder and CEO of Paving, Laurence created a floor made to transform the mechanical energy of the steps into electrical energy. Each board can capture seven watts by footstep and the energy generated can be used for various purposes.

The idea was already tested in 2012, when the subway station West Tube, in London, received an installation by Paving for the Olympics – the energy generated was used to light 12 LED panels. In 2014, the floor was also installed on the Morro da Mineira soccer field, in Rio de Janeiro.

Laurence Kemball's invention has been catching the attention of big companies like the controversial Shell, and even celebrities like Al Gore and Akon. But this was not always the case, the CEO began developing this project when he was still studying design at Loughborough University. When he showed the prototype to businessmen and government agencies, everyone said "this will never work, we can't help you."

In 2016, Paving launched its new version, V3, which promises to be 200 times more efficient than the first prototype. Now, Kemball believes he is finally achieving the low cost and efficiency needed to produce the Paving on larger scales.

Another idea of ​​the entrepreneur is that if this type of floor existed everywhere and was connected to cell phones, a control could be created on the amount of energy each person generates – and who knows, there would be some kind of reward for it! This notion that everyone can do their part for a more sustainable world is exactly where the company wants to go.

Anyway, a reality in which the Paving is in our daily lives is still distant, which does not make technology any less interesting. Knowing that there is the possibility of making the journey to a more sustainable world so simple and tangible is what is making this idea grow and gain visibility. Change can be under our feet.

Check out the video of the event that the company held with Shell at the Olympic Stadium in London. To learn more, visit the Pavegen company's official website.