SHAUN BAILEY ANNOUNCES PLAN TO HARNESS FOOTFALL AND POWER LONDON’S HIGH STREETS ALONGSIDE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER ZAC GOLDSMITH

• Shaun Bailey will harness the kinetic energy of Londoners in high foot traffic locations around London to provide off-grid green electricity for London’s streets and TfL stations.

Shaun Bailey announced his plan to harness the kinetic energy of Londoners in high foot traffic locations around London to provide off-grid green electricity for London’s streets and TfL station alongside Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith.

Mr Bailey will invest in creative and innovative solutions that will reduce London’s reliance on carbon by implementing green innovation across the capital in partnership with home grown green tech firms, like Pavegen.

Shaun Bailey has shortlisted pedestrian thoroughfares such as Oxford Street, Regent Street, the South Bank, and TfL stations such as Green Park and Westminster as hosts for the rollout of Pavegen tiles that could provide the spots with lighting and charge points that would decrease dependency on the National Grid and provide London with locally sourced, sustainable energy.

On an average weekday, there are 138,000 pedestrians who travel through Oxford Street – rising to 500,000 at peak times. Shaun Bailey is offering the opportunity for London to harness this footfall, with otherwise wasted energy, to power localities across London with renewable energy creating enough energy to light the popular London shopping hub.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, footfall on London’s high streets has suffered immensely, with London sitting in the bottom 5 U.K. cities for high street footfall and spending. Offering green solutions is a vital tool in incentivising people to visit our city, and provides a green vision for our economic recovery.

Pavegen, a London based tech start-up, has delivered projects for city developers and retailers in 36 countries, installing over 200 systems. Its projects include a temporary array in Oxford St, and a running track in a Hong Kong office building which helps keep employees healthy while providing energy to a community area of the building. Pavegen generates clean electricity from footsteps to power off-grid applications such as lighting and monitors.

Shaun Bailey, Conservative Candidate for London Mayor, said:

“London is one of the brightest hubs for technology and innovation in the world, and it is vital that we utilise this through our economic recovery after the pandemic.

Home grown technology such as Pavegen allow us to harness footfall in some of London’s busiest areas to provide renewable energy, otherwise lost, to power our streets.

In London we are pioneers – and as Mayor I want to use this vision to provide green solutions that will cut London’s dependency on carbon and clean up our air.”

The Rt Hon The Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, Minister of State for the Pacific and the Environment, said:

“Shaun is absolutely right to identify solutions that can work in London and which will help us meet our climate obligations nationally. Talk is cheap in politics, but what marks Shaun out in this contest is his willingness and ability to get things done. And by championing home grown, green tech success stories like Pavegen in London, he will be tackling climate change in a way that generates jobs and opportunities in the capital.”

In 2020, the UK became the first major economy to commit to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. TfL have also pledged to become a zero-carbon railway by 2030. This is a symbolic commitment as to what London would look like under Mayor Bailey – with the push towards a greener London one of his major priorities.

Laurence Kemball-Cook, CEO of Pavegen, said:

“London is renowned for its education, design and startups that have raised over £4.2billion investment between Jan- June 2020. As an ambassador for London Technology Week and a founder who was born and bred in this city I understand how important it is as a hub for UK business.

Shaun has the vision and passion to improve London – to make it a better and greener place for people to live. Pavegen has been voted one of the most disruptive technologies in the world and we are passionate about bringing it to the streets of London.

I share Shaun’s vision for greener transport hubs, for sustainable streets and look forward to collaborating with him in the future.”