Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell
An example of the pods at Dallas Love Field Airport – credit: JetWind Corporation

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network.

Jet Engine Exhaust is Turned into Electricity to Power Dallas International Airport

By Andy Corbley –

An intuitive piece of hardware collects days’ worth of renewable energy from airplane engine exhaust before takeoff from a Dallas airport.

“Boarding is completed” is a common refrain heard over the intercom system in the moments before taxiing to the runway.

At that moment, the pilot will begin a series of engine tests and pre-flight checks, during which the turbine engines will idle 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.

“The main goal of our project is to harness the consistent wind created by jets and convert it into an eco-friendly energy source,” JetWind’s founder and president, Dr. T. O. Souryal, told Interesting Engineering.

“What was once considered wasted energy can now benefit energy grids, ultimately promoting smarter and more sustainable infrastructure across the globe.”

Three years of testing between 2021 and 2024 have informed the official deployment of JetWind’s flagship product at Dallas Love Field airport. 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.

While it isn’t nearly what the average airport will consume during a day of operations, when combined with 12 other systems like it, it can make a big difference in reducing the building’s carbon footprint.

“Dallas Love Field has always been a hub of progress, and the introduction of JetWind’s Energy Capturing Pods reinforces its position as a testing ground for innovative technologies,” said former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert.

“By converting man-made wind into energy, we highlight Dallas as a leader in sustainable solutions and prove that cities can take significant steps toward tackling global energy challenges.”

The debut of the JetWind pods at Love Field has attracted attention from around the globe, including companies and governments from Switzerland, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, the UK, France, and Australia.

The good news in today’s story is that not all energy projects are enormous. Even the little ones count. Today’s JohnKu is about little steps. I hope you have a beautiful weekend.

Small by John W. Howell © 2024

Even small projects,

Can add up to big savings . . .

It is worth small steps.

85 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News”

      1. I get into the YouTube videos showing the inventions of creative individuals, and from my view, many “art” projects could become “sustainable” masterpieces akin to converting jet blasts into electricity. Today’s 3D printers make this doable and affordable. Enjoy the weekend!

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Interesting. They said it doesn’t create a lot of energy compared to what an airport uses, but every little bit helps. Maybe they can make smaller ones you can put on your roof. The wind we’ve had lately would work great with this system.

    Liked by 1 person

  26. Oops, well that’s a first. That was a comment from a previous post. Feel free to dump it. WordPress is not accepting 20% of my comments lately, and I’ve had to start saving them, rather than having to retype the whole thing again when it doesn’t go through the first time.

    What I had said was this was a brilliant idea. My only question is I wondered why it hadn’t happened sooner?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. In order for the comments to work on some places you cannot click on comment in the email. You have to open the post and then go to the comment section. This will help. The jet wind generators is a great idea. Thanks, Pete

      Liked by 1 person

    1. My Friday stories go back to a time when I was complaining about the world politic. That kind of thing is not consistent with my overall goal of entertainment. I decided to focus my energy on the positive. So the Friday feature was born. Thanks for the comment, Monika and thanks for allowing me to explain.

      Liked by 1 person

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