Yes, we’ve all heard of wind and solar power, but have you heard of piezoelectricity?   As the world becomes increasingly more focused on finding ways to produce clean, reliable energy with domestically available resources, the technology for helping us achieve this goal not only has been getting more advanced, it’s also become really creative. At one of the city’s busiest subway stops, Tokyo Station has installed hatsudenyuka floors at station gates, hallways, and staircases, as part of small-scale experiment to generate electricity with foot traffic.  The piezo elements in the specialized floors convert the pressure and vibration of commuter footsteps into electricity, which is used to power the station’s lights.

Tokyo Station

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Another example of working with what we’ve got is a Portland, Oregon gym using the power of members pedaling exercise bikes and pumping cardio machines to help generate electricity for the gym itself.  A novel idea, that is not only environmentally friendly, but also wallet friendly, since gyms tend to use an enormous amount of energy—with high electricity bills for running all of the exercise machines, high heating costs and energy-intensive steaming showers.

The Green Microgym

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These two inventions that are making their way into everyday life remind us that when it seems like achieving clean energy dependence is a pipe-dream, it’s important to realize there is a lot around us that we can use to create energy, and it remains to be seen what other technologies can be created.  Yes, there are some high barriers that must be overcome to develop technology that effectively harnesses these resources, but risk aversion only threatens a vibrant energy future.  Investing in technologies that promise to transform how we generate energy is the first step toward finding the solution that leads us out of our current energy situation.

What are some other creative energy technologies you’ve heard of? Do you see these technologies catching on?