Brazil’s football mogul Pele teamed up with Royal Dutch Shell by releasing the world’s first player-powered community football field in Rio de Janeiro.
Shell got the idea from a young entrepreneur to help the Morro da Mineira community. The football pitch, a key part of life for favela residents, was refurbished by Shell using 200 high-tech, underground tiles that capture kinetic energy created by the movement of the players. This energy is then stored and combined with the power generated by solar panels next to the pitch to convert into renewable electricity for the new floodlights, giving everyone in the favela, and especially young people, a safe and secure community space at night.
Pelé who joined Shell to officially open the pitch, said: "Football is Brazil’s biggest passion and the sport has gone through so much technological innovation since the last time I played. This new pitch shows the extraordinary things possible when science and sport come together. The Morro da Mineira community will now be able to use this sports facility as a safe gathering place – all thanks to the floodlights powered by the community’s football players."
Laurence Kemball-Cook, Pavegen founder and CEO and Shell LiveWIRE UK Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 2011, said: "Having received support from Shell to develop my vision, I’m lucky enough to now use my ideas to meet the energy challenge. This new football pitch is an exciting example that every child in a classroom can understand and see first-hand the vital role technology and innovation play in shaping our planet not only now, but in the future."
Now if only Shell could partner with the sOccket, the soccer ball that collects kinetic energy and stores it for later use.
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