Current Students and Staff

// University News

17 Sep 2014

Graduate company creates the world’s first people-powered football pitch

Pavegen, the clean tech company founded by Design School graduate Laurence Kemball Cook, has delivered its most ambitious project to date – a sustainably powered football pitch in one of the most deprived favelas in Rio de Janeiro.

In partnership with Shell, Pavegen installed 200 tiles into the redeveloped pitch at Morro da Mineira which was recently opened by global football legend, and Shell ambassador, Pelé. The pitch is lit for ten hours during the night by a unique combination of Pavegen tiles, which convert the energy from footsteps into electricity, and solar panels.

Pro Vice Chancellor for Enterprise, Professor Steve Rothberg, said: “This is yet another significant milestone for Pavegen’s founder Laurence, to whom we awarded the title of Innovation and Enterprise Fellow earlier this year. I am delighted that another Loughborough graduate, Gilmore Satchell, also played a key role in the Rio football pitch project as lead electrical engineer.”

View press release here