As part of its sustainability program #makethefuture, Shell has build an innovative self-lighted football playground in one of the poorest areas of Rio de Janeiro, Morro da Mineira.

As the problem of affordable energy and lighting of public areas at night is topical in Brazil, the global oil company has decided to develop a groundbreaking community football pitch that is lighted by the players themselves. Shell refurbished an existing pitch with solar panels and 200 underground tiles that captured the kinetic energy of movement, that was then combined with the solar power converted into electric power that lighted the pitch at night.

This kinetic technology was developed by one of the grant recipients of the UK Shell LiveWIRE programme in 2011, Laurence Kemball-Cook, who later became the founder and CEO of the technology company Pavegen.

The innovative playground was officially opened by the most famous Brazilian football player Pelé earlier this month.

A short movie about the football pitch can also be viewed below.