Transforming energy and transportation: Airborne wind turbines and personal electric aircraft

Low Cost Electricity from Airborne Wind Turbines:

Among renewable energy options, conventional wind energy is indisputably the most abundant, clean, and cost-effective. However, conventional wind turbines are limited by the availability of near-surface wind. Conventional wind turbines located at very good wind sites achieve 35% capacity.

Joby Energy is developing airborne wind turbines (AWT) that harness the power of high-altitude wind. Our AWTs operating in higher altitudes, have a projected capacity factor of 70%, double that of a similarly rated conventional wind turbine, thus resulting in considerably lower energy costs.

Can Personal Electric Aircraft Transform Your Commute?

Joby Aviation is developing a compact electric personal aircraft designed for efficient high speed flights over short distances. Electric propulsion enables our prototype to take off and land vertically like a helicopter while retaining the efficiency of an airplane. Can safe and quiet electric aircraft transform the way we commute?

Presenter(s)

JoeBen Bevirt is an inveterate entrepreneur born with a passion for engineering that has driven the formation of two successful companies over the past 10 years prior to Joby Energy and Joby Aviation. In 2000, JoeBen co-founded Velocity11 which developed high-performance laboratory equipment. He served as President & CEO until 2002, as President until 2006, and as a board member until the sale to Agilent Technologies in 2007. Under his leadership, Velocity11 employed 200 people and grew by 50% annually.

In 2005, JoeBen founded Joby, Inc. (Joby) to develop, market, and sell useful, unique, and delightful consumer products. Profitable almost immediately, Joby continues to deliver new products and record profits despite the economic downturn. In early 2008, JoeBen turned his focus to renewable energy and founded Joby Energy to develop groundbreaking airborne wind turbines to harness the immense and consistent power of high-altitude wind to provide reliable and low-cost renewable energy. Founded in 2009, Joby Aviation is developing a compact personal aircraft capable of transporting individuals three times faster than by car while using one-tenth the energy.JoeBen holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis and a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. Currently, JoeBen holds ten U.S. patents.