The Pacesetters Project is an initiative of The Facility, which is an association of British facilities architects. The project is aimed at producing electricity from daily activities - primarily foot pressure.

The basic concept is to place pressure pads under sidewalks, streets, staircases which as people pass over them generate electricity. Another aspect is to put the pressure pads in things - such as boots and shoes - to generate power. This latter is a design being explored fore military purposes.

The "Pacesetters" approach falls into the category of "energy harvesting." This is a category of devices which capture and store energy from energy that is already being produced. This ranges from generating electricity from tides, to the recharging of batteries from the use of brakes - a technique used by the Toyota Prius for example.

Projects suggested by the Pacesetter Project include placing energy capturing pressure pads under sidewalks, on staircases, and yes, even in shoes. According to the article in The Independent, roughly 30% of the energy expended in walking can be captured through these devices.

There is something very attractive in harnessing some of the energy that we expend on a daily basis to replace at least part of what we draw from the planet.

Some may think producing electricity with such micro-diversification is a sign of desperation, and perhaps they are right. But in the long run, technologies like this can highlight the encouraging reality that energy is everywhere.

That said, at least in the first few generations, I think that the lifecycle cost of this technology's inclusion in what has become a quasi-disposable good, namely, shoes, would preclude their bona-fides as a "true" green product. But it seems safe to say that a new generation of self powered running shoes with safety lights built in will be coming out soon, and that surely won't be the worst thing to happen.

Posted by: Jonathon on October 27, 2006 6:45 PM