East Japan Railway Harvests Power from Commuters
Marissa Brassfield — December 12, 2008 — Eco
References: jreast.co.jp & techon.nikkeibp.co.jp
We've seen energy-generating dance floors, gyms and revolving doors, but the kinetic energy floors in testing at East Japan Railway Company's Tokyo station take passive energy one thrilling step further.
This Tokyo subway station is perennially among the busiest in the world. The 25 square meters of piezoelectric energy-generating floors; the heavy foot traffic to Tokyo Station will yield 1,400kW/sec per day. That's more than enough clean power to run the automatic ticket gates and electronic display systems, according to Tech-On.
Check out the video above to see typical rush-hour foot traffic at Tokyo Station and grasp the immense potential of these kinetic energy-generating floors.
This Tokyo subway station is perennially among the busiest in the world. The 25 square meters of piezoelectric energy-generating floors; the heavy foot traffic to Tokyo Station will yield 1,400kW/sec per day. That's more than enough clean power to run the automatic ticket gates and electronic display systems, according to Tech-On.
Check out the video above to see typical rush-hour foot traffic at Tokyo Station and grasp the immense potential of these kinetic energy-generating floors.
Trend Themes
1. Kinetic Energy-generating Floors - The trend of using kinetic energy to generate electricity from floors will disrupt the energy industry and inspire innovation in building design.
2. Piezoelectricity - The trend of using piezoelectric technology will disrupt the energy industry and encourage innovation in the fields of materials science and engineering.
3. Passive Energy Generation - The trend of generating electricity from passive energy sources will disrupt the renewable energy industry and promote innovation in energy efficiency.
Industry Implications
1. Energy - The energy industry can disrupt its own business model by investing in kinetic energy-harvesting technologies that use subway stations, sidewalks and high-traffic areas.
2. Materials Science - Materials scientists can disrupt traditional building materials by developing piezoelectric materials that are transparent, durable, and can be integrated into a variety of structures and surfaces.
3. Urban Planning - The urban planning industry can disrupt its traditional approaches to city design by incorporating passive energy-generating technology into sidewalks, bike lanes, and outdoor pedestrian areas.
5.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
