Entrepreneur harnessing wind power

Back in 2005, Franziska "Frenchy" Krauss watched with the rest of the nation as the nightmarish aftermath of Hurricane Katrina left thousands stranded in New Orleans without basic necessities.

The scenario reminded her of an idea she and some friends had years ago for a versatile, portable wind-powered electricity generating system that would be invaluable in emergency situations. Four and a half years later, after much testing and with patents pending, she is ready to go public with her company, Air Power Systems, LLC, which she plans to base in West Pasco.

"We have to start very slow," Krauss said. At the core of APS is a design for a wind-powered turbine she believes will revolutionize the wind-energy industry. She has been walking a fine line between trying to generate interest in her design and keeping it under wraps until she was ready to seriously market it.

Work on the APS design started 13 years ago, in Germany. Krauss and some friends started brainstorming to come up with an ideal wind-power system, almost like a game of can-you-top-this creative engineering, she said. They got as far as building a prototype. Krauss recalled how they rented an airstrip, strapped the model to the roof of her Porsche, and raced it up and down the runway to simulate hurricane-force winds.

Then the German government began to take notice, and the group got worried their project would be quashed, so they destroyed their prototypes and hid the schematics. One by one, the partners lost interest. Krauss moved to America and had pretty much abandoned the idea herself, until Katrina hit.

The key to the APS is its triangular, one-piece design, which answers issues that have hindered traditional wind power technology. When most people think of wind power, Krauss said, the first image that comes to mind is giant airplane propeller-looking blades on a horizontal axis atop tall towers. The APS device, by contrast, spins on a vertical axis, and can operate at any height, meaning it can easily be mounted neatly on a rooftop, to mobile units or be set up quickly anywhere a temporary power source is needed.

The APS design creates a vortex that allows the unit to produce electricity in winds as low as 2.7 mph. As air enters one side, it passes through the second side and out the third, which prevents out-of-control spinning in even the highest winds, meaning it needs no braking system. And unlike a horizontal axis system, the APS does not need to be adjusted for wind direction.

Provided the dimensions are kept the same, the unit can be any size, and its solid-body construction can be made of lightweight material, making it easy to ship or transport. It adds up to a design that can be used just about anywhere.

Krauss has been experimenting for about 18 moths, testing the APS device's effectiveness in various settings. Those tests suggest it can power a 2,500-square-foot home. Last summer, using two small APS units, she provided the electrical power for a 40-foot personal fishing boat.

Krauss has exhibited the APS on a limited basis, and is now ready to start marketing to the public. That will take some startup money. She has created a business plan and is now shopping for investors.

The first step is to buy property in Pasco County that will serve as a combination headquarters, testing center and demonstration site, and to create a series of prototypes that can be used to demonstrate how the APS can be adapted for various uses.

Those interested in learning more about the APS unit or Air Power Systems LLC can visit the Air Power Systems Web site or call Krauss at 727-845-3603. Possible investors can also contact Andrew Braverman of Sharp Capital Partners at 1-800-881-9537 or via e-mail, abraverman@sharpcp.com.