Piezoelectric energy--energy produced when stress is applied to an object--is already used to produce power for roads, subways, and nightclubs. Now a Sainsbury supermarket in Gloucester, England, is using kinetic plates to keep checkout lines moving.
Sainsbury's road plates, which are similar to those seen on London streets, produce 30kWh of energy every hour from cars passing over the bumps in the store parking lot. The Highway Energy Systems-designed road plates are pushed down by the weight of the vehicles, creating a rocking motion that turns generators. Energy from the generators is captured and used inside the supermarket.
The system, which generates more than enough energy to power the store's checkout lines, supposedly doesn't affect vehicle fuel efficiency. That's a sore spot for existing piezoelectric projects, as detractors claim that they are "energy thieves" that suck up energy from gasoline and convert it into forward motion. But if the Sainsbury road plates are in an area where cars are slowing down anyway (i.e. a downward ramp), then the energy is clean.
Piezoelectric road plates are just one of Sainsbury's sustainable initiatives. The Gloucester Quays store also uses rainwater to flush toilets and solar thermal panels to heat 100% of the water used during the summer.
[Via UK Guardian]
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Related Stories: | Topics:Innovation, Technology, Ethonomics, sainsbury, supermarket, piezoelectric, people power, UK, highway energy systems, Retail Trade, Food and Beverage Sector, Food and Beverage Retailers, Grocery Stores, London (England) |
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Recent Comments | 29 Total
June 15, 2009 at 5:29pm by Wayne Smallman
I first wrote about this technology last year in an article listing some of the top alternative energy technologies. It's great to see this tech' being used here in Britain.
I think it's a technology that mature enough to be used in inner city areas, to power traffic lights and other municipal utilities.
July 26, 2009 at 2:16pm by cosmetic dentistry
Sainsbury's was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and his wife Mary Ann (née Staples), in London, England, and grew rapidly during the Victorian era. It grew to become the largest grocery retailer in 1922, pioneered self-service retailing in the UK, and its heyday was during the 1980s. As a result of being complacent during the 1990s, Tesco became the market leader in 1995, and Asda became the second-largest in 2003, demoting Sainsbury's into third place.
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July 28, 2009 at 12:43pm by cosmetic dentistry
Sainsbury supermarket in Gloucester, UK has installed ‘Kinetic Road Plates’. These plates produce 30 kW of energy an hour. This will power the store’s checkouts.
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August 12, 2009 at 12:42pm by homme rock
Energy Systems-designed road plates are pushed down by the weight of the vehicles, creating a rocking motion that turns generators.
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August 13, 2009 at 10:09am by midas soft
Piezoelectric crystals or fibers generate a small voltage whenever they are mechanically deformed. Vibration from engines can stimulate piezoelectric materials, as can the heel of a shoe.
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August 13, 2009 at 2:40pm by homme rock
However, the amount of fuel needed is so tiny that the effect is equivalent to that of passing over a speed bump.
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August 14, 2009 at 1:33am by homme rock
According to the store, more than 90% of the construction waste was reused or recycled. Furthermore, the chain is trying to reduce the amount of waste that it sends to landfill, choosing to send it to a biomass plant in Scotland.
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August 19, 2009 at 4:21am by homme rock
The kinetic plates aren’t the only things green about the new store. It also features rainwater tanks, solar hot water systems, more daylight and an efficient building management system (BMS).
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August 23, 2009 at 3:10am by homme rock
Imagine if these plates were put on downward ramps in a giant, multi-story mall parking lot...how much energy could be generated for the mall?
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August 26, 2009 at 12:48pm by homme rock
Sainsbury's said the transaction has now been completed following anti-trust (Hart-Scott-Rodino) clearance and completion of the audit for the period ended 28 February 2004.
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August 27, 2009 at 6:13am by silver water
The use of piezoelectric materials to harvest power has already become popular. Piezoelectric materials have the ability to transform mechanical strain energy into electrical charge. Piezo elements are being embedded in walkways to recover the "people energy" of footsteps. They can also be embedded in shoes to recover "walking energy".
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August 27, 2009 at 6:15am by silver water
The use of piezoelectric materials to harvest power has already become popular. Piezoelectric materials have the ability to transform mechanical strain energy into electrical charge. Piezo elements are being embedded in walkways to recover the "people energy" of footsteps. They can also be embedded in shoes to recover "walking energy".
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August 27, 2009 at 11:51am by homme rock
What to do: Just wait, don’t take items out of the bag or try to push, throw, or pound items into the bag. Whoever’s standing at that self-checkout stand will fix it by pressing a button. Just be patient.
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August 29, 2009 at 5:09am by sammiha khan
that's a very interesting idea. i've been looking at piezo-electronics as a form of interface for other devices, but i hadn't thought of them as something that could trigger a generator. very cool.
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August 30, 2009 at 3:51am by dental elegance
Our store locator is the easiest way to find any Sainsbury's store in the UK, as well as the facilities it offers, and the main store details.
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August 31, 2009 at 4:22am by dental elegance
But if the Sainsbury road plates are in an area where cars are slowing down anyway (i.e. a downward ramp), then the energy is clean.
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September 15, 2009 at 2:49pm by green boal
Energy harvesters currently do not produce sufficient energy to perform mechanical work, but instead provide very small amount of power for powering low-energy electronics. While the input fuel to large scale generation costs money (oil, coal, etc.), the "fuel" for energy harvesters is naturally present and is therefore considered free. For example, temperature gradients exist from the operation of a combustion engine and in urban areas, there is also a large amount electromagnetic energy in the environment because of radio and television broadcasting.
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September 15, 2009 at 2:52pm by green boal
Energy harvesters currently do not produce sufficient energy to perform mechanical work, but instead provide very small amount of power for powering low-energy electronics. While the input fuel to large scale generation costs money (oil, coal, etc.), the "fuel" for energy harvesters is naturally present and is therefore considered free. For example, temperature gradients exist from the operation of a combustion engine and in urban areas, there is also a large amount electromagnetic energy in the environment because of radio and television broadcasting.
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September 18, 2009 at 7:34am by midas soft
More recently, there is growing concern regarding the toxicity in lead-containing devices driven by the result of restriction of hazardous substances directive regulations. To address this concern, there has been a resurgence in the compositional development of lead-free piezoelectric materials.
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September 21, 2009 at 1:10pm by ben Shi
This idea is interesting, Is it really worth to do it for the supermarket checkout lines?
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September 22, 2009 at 12:56am by green boal
In the automotive industry piezoelectric elements are used as the standard devices for engine indicating in developing internal combustion engines. The combustion processes are measured with piezoelectric sensors. The sensors are either directly mounted into additional holes into the cylinder head or the spark/glow plug is equipped with a built in miniature piezoelectric sensor.
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September 30, 2009 at 12:16am by joe joe
it's a technology that mature enough to be used in inner city areas, to power traffic lights and other municipal utilities.
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October 14, 2009 at 8:45pm by vicky eltham
It better for the people i think a lot faster to check out and go...
October 14, 2009 at 8:51pm by vicky eltham
They should roll this out to all the supermarkets.
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November 4, 2009 at 1:10pm by Doublex john
It grew to become the largest grocery retailer in 1922, pioneered self-service retailing in the UK, and its heyday was during the 1980s.
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November 19, 2009 at 5:58am by pete mitchell
doesnt it cause trouble for really low cars like the koenigsegg etc??
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November 20, 2009 at 2:38pm by pete mitchell
a supermarket is only super in collecting your money, lol!
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November 21, 2009 at 5:54am by pete mitchell
why did they choose an audi car only?? lol
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