Advances in solar technology have allowed creative thinkers to generate inventive solutions to tricky problems. Recently, solar has played a role in creating soccer facilities in neighborhoods that normally couldn’t afford such amenities.

Keeping the lights on at a playing field or stadium can be expensive, and especially challenging in places lacking an abundance of financial resources. However, new technology that harnesses solar and kinetic energy is making it possible to bring new recreational opportunities to underprivileged communities around the world.

Sun and People Power

The first soccer pitch powered by solar power and the players’ movement on the field was built in 2014 in Morro da Mineira, a slum in Rio de Janeiro. The new soccer pitch generated so much excitement that soccer star Pele stopped by for its unveiling.

“I thought we were inaugurating another artificial pitch but I didn’t expect that this field could produce energy. It’s the first in the world,” said the sports legend. “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.”

By marrying solar and kinetic energy, the field can produce energy all day long. On sunny days, most of the field’s electrical needs are met with solar panels and then at night, people walking over the 200 energy generating cells under the field generates the power needed to keep the lights on.

Sustainable Model

On the heels of the success of the Morro da Mineira field, a second such pitch was built at a teacher’s college in Lagos, Nigeria last year. Like the soccer pitch in Brazil, the Nigerian field is powered by a combination of solar energy and energy generated from people walking on it.

The field is just a small part of big investments being made in solar and other renewable energies across Africa. The African Union has promised $20 million of investment into renewable energy over the next decade and pay-as-you-go solar energy programs are proving successful in East Africa.

An estimated 600 million African people currently have no access to electricity. Without electricity, household chores take longer, children can’t study or do homework at night, and streets can be unsafe.

No Limit to Possibilities

Using solar power to provide soccer fields in underprivileged neighborhoods is just one of the many creative uses being applied to solar power. Even in the U.S., governments and businesses are taking advantage of solar’s low cost and environmental benefits to solve challenges.

Some innovative projects include:

• Drought plagued San Antonio is investing in solar energy to cut down on the need for hydroelectric power, which generates millions of gallons of wastewater.
• Farmers are using barn roofs and unused land to install solar panels that help drive down energy costs.
• Businesses, especially those with large roofs, are using solar energy to end volatility in electric prices while having the ability to better plan budgets.

As solar energy adoption becomes more widespread, we are likely to see an increase in the number of innovative ways businesses and communities harness the power of solar to improve the lives of people around the world.

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