JetWind Power is urging airports to harness energy generated by engine thrust as airplanes start taxiing to the runway. According to the Texas-based start-up, a three-year trial operation at Dallas Love Field Airport (KDAL) established that each of its Energy Capturing Pods, which consist of five small airfoil wind turbines enclosed by a protective mesh, can generate between 50 and 80 kilowatts of electricity each day.

The company acknowledged that the effectiveness of the technology depends on how close the patented pods can be installed to where aircraft start running their engines. According to JetWind founder and president T.O. Souryal, the units are more productive at relatively enclosed airports. One undisclosed European airport is in talks to install the equipment at the back of its ground runup enclosure.

JetWind’s engineering team is now working on its own design for compact generators that can more effectively store and distribute produced energy. Harnessed energy can feed into the airport’s grid or can be collected in batteries stored in a trailer that, for example, could be used to recharge electric ramp vehicles.

At KDAL, the pods provide power for the terminal building, where passengers can take advantage of a free charging station for electronic devices. Five pods are installed at the airport, with eight more due to be installed.

According to Souryal, who is an orthopedic surgeon and physician for the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, the pods could be used by airport service businesses such as FBOs. JetWind has held discussions with the airliner maintenance departments of United and American Airlines, and the company is also considering a proposal to install the pods at heliports.

With dimensions of around 10 by three feet, the pods can be installed directly on the ground or a pedestal, depending on the optimum position to capture wind from aircraft engines. Souryal told AIN that set-up cost for a five-pod installation would be roughly the same as a couple of Tesla cars.

“Wherever you see a wind deflector at an airport, we could put pods,” Souryal said. “Man-made wind that would otherwise be wasted is now a useful resource, reducing stress on energy grids and paving the way for smarter, greener infrastructure worldwide.”

JetWind is also exploring off-airport installations. It has held discussions with French railways group SNCF to install pods along the high-speed line between Paris and Lyon to collect wind generated by passing TGV trains. The company said it has also had interest from prospective customers in the UK, Australia, Ecuador, Brazil, and Switzerland.