International Airports throughout the world could soon be augmenting their energy supply every time a big jet takes off.
Tests will be made at a major European airport with wind turbines, or rather blast turbines, which will capture most of the huge amount of energy that is required to get these heavy jets rolling along the runway. Along the taxiways and the length of runway there are ducts on either side also collecting the blast. Surveys have shown that at any one time in the day there are at least 5 big jets rolling along the asphalt that will be indirectly generating electricity.
Plans for building offshore wind turbines at the end of the runway on the Caribbean Island of St Martin have already been suggested. However a major western navy has now taken this source of wind power and applied it to an aircraft carrier, where the blast from the jets is even more intense and can be directed into the turbine race more easily. It remains to be seen whether or not we are allowed to see how this offshore wind develops, but this correspondent suspects that after today we will hear no more.
[mappress]
Press release, April 1, 2013