The Boeing Company
Energy harvesting airport

Abstract:

A system for harvesting energy from airport vehicle and passenger movements is described that includes a vehicular operating area with an operating surface, a pedestrian movement area with a walking surface, a first plurality of vibration panels positioned within the operating surface of the vehicular operating area, a second plurality of vibration panels positioned within the walking surface of the pedestrian movement area, and an electricity distribution grid. Each vibration panel in the first plurality of vibration panels and each vibration panel in the second plurality of vibration panels is a piezoelectric transducer, and each piezoelectric transducer is coupled to the electricity distribution grid such that electricity produced by each piezoelectric transducer in response to vibrations from vehicle or passenger movements is routed to the electricity distribution grid.