FollowImagine the sky all across filled with strange, rotating machines. Well, alternative energy developers are planning exactly that. The wind turbines you see out in the fields or in the backyard might just be rendered useless if these things take to the skies. Planned to be positioned in the skies, sometimes as high as 15,000 feet in the air, these ‘Flying Wind Generators’ are aiming high, and if they manage to harness even one percent of the jet-stream winds, it could be enough energy to light up the whole planet. Here are a few concepts for flying wind generators which might literally blow you away.
1. Flying Wind Turbines
Sky Wind Power and Magenn Power are the two prominent agencies rooting to cough up the first of these machines. Sky Wind has in mind a 1,100 pound Flying Electric Generator which claims to be capable of producing power for as cheap as 2 cents per kilowatt hour, while soaring above 15,000 feet in the air. This kite-like structure will be kept afloat with four rotors at the points of an H-shaped frame. The spinning rotors will transmit the electricity through aluminum cables tethered to the frame.
2. Magenn Air Rotors
Another company, Magenn Power has something called the Magenn Power Air Rotor in the works. This wind generator is helium filled and rotates around a horizontal axis. The transmitted electricity can be used immediately. While the FEG aims at working at extremely high levels, the M.A.R.S.intends to keep itself based around 600 feet, and turn at speeds ranging from 4 mph to greater than 60 mph.
3. MARS – A wind turbine that is up in air
The MARS is not like other wind generators. Instead of being a bladed, two-dimensional structure, it is a closed cylinder. The advantages of being a closed cylinder are its ability to start at low speeds, and have rotors which vary in sizes at a considerably cheaper rate than other wind generators. The MARS can also float above tree lines for getting across great wind and doesn’t need vast amounts of open space to be deployed.
4. Joby Energy tests high-altitude, wind turbine prototype
Joby Energy is testing its wind turbines which can produce around 800 terawatts and is powered by a 30KW system which resembles an airplane. The structure is suspended vertically in air with the aid of a channel of turbines. Once set to work, the system moves circularly to come in the path of cross-winds. The tether later transmits the electricity back to the frame. The company intends to unleash trials of a 100KW very soon in the future.
5. Kite farm offers parasailing while producing energy
Keeping the high-tech rotors and daunting flying turbines at bay, this is something which promises to engage adventure seekers and, well, in turn, also generate energy. Colombian landscape architect studio Paisajes Emergentes has devised a way which involves kites, a grid, and occasionally, even people. What they plan to do is set up an energy producing kite farm on a beach in Abu Dhabi.
Sounds weird? The idea is to set out around 200 kites and tether them across a 60 meter grid. These kites will convert wind into electricity with the help of wind-belt generators, which might light up 600 homes! They’ve estimated an average of 6,200 kw-hours a year of electricity from each kite! The park will be open to visitors who can merrily strap themselves to the kites and go para-sailing above the beach! Do it for the energy!
Source: ecofriend
