Human-powered electricity helps power the Paris Marathon

In the largest ever install of their unique technology, Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, captured the kinetic energy from runners and spectators at this year's Paris Marathon. Pavegen Systems installed over 25 meters of their energy harvesting tiles on the runner's course, spectator-viewing platforms, and at other key points along the route, converting the kinetic energy of footfall into electricity that is stored in a battery or used to power various applications such as street lighting, advertising, information displays, and communications technology. The Pavegen tiles flex 5mm when stepped on, converting up to 8 watts of kinetic energy over the duration of the footstep.