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Dancing to power London nightclub

People have done all sorts of things to promote eco-friendliness in the past. But how about boogie-ing your way to a cleaner climate? Now you can, thanks to Dancefloor Power.

The concept is pretty simple: a special dancefloor is used that’s capable of transforming your dancing – however bad it is – into power that can be used to run everything from the disco ball to the DJ’s decks.

Dancefloor Power is based on the principle of piezoelectricity – the ability of certain materials to generate an electric potential when they're put under pressure. Rows of springs are hidden beneath the dancefloor and as disco divas pound away, the floor rises and sinks to squash small crystal blocks that generate electricity. This current’s then fed into batteries for use elsewhere.

Andrew Charalambous, one of the minds behind Dancefloor Power, said that “loads of clubbers dancing vigorously” have the potential to “provide 60 per cent of the club's energy needs”.

The UK’s first nightclub to feature Dancefloor Power - Surya - opened last night in London. Eco-dancers are served drinks in polycarbon cups and use urinals flushed with air.

Customers who can demonstrate that they travelled to the venue by foot, cycle or public transport get in for free. So don your cycle-clips - your name will definitely be on the list. ®

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