An innovative piece of hardware is now collecting days’ worth of renewable energy from airplane engine exhaust before take-off from a Dallas airport.
The moment the pilot begins a series of engine tests and pre-flight checks, the turbine engines are idling with their ferocious noise and exhaust fumes.
A company called JetWind has realized that all that idling force is like the strong winds needed to power a wind turbine, and has built a series of pods that can capture it during the 5-10 minutes the aircraft is sitting at the gate waiting for clearance to taxi.
13 sets of pods will sit beneath the gate hooked up to external batteries that connect to the grid the airport uses. Solar panels add to the energy generation, and the whole set can create about 30 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy, enough to power a family home for a few days.
When combined with 12 other systems just like it, the system can make a serious difference in reducing the carbon footprint of a building.