World’s First Flying Wind Farm Set to Launch
It's a bird; it's a plane; no, it's a super windmill.
At an altitude of 300 metres, winds are between five and eight times stronger than they are down here on earth. So a US-based startup is about to launch the world’s first flying wind farm. It’s set to hover above Fairbanks, Alaska, for 18 months, delivering power to more than 12 families.
Dubbed the “BAT” (Buoyant Airborne Turbine), the machine is comprised of a donut-shaped, helium-filled shell, which supports a three-blade turbine. Lightweight yet super-strong tethers keep everything in position and send power to the ground. There’s no need for towers, subterranean foundations or cranes.
The brains behind it, Altaeros Energies, have been planning lift-off for four years. “Our mission is simple,” the website reads. “To deploy the world’s first commercial airborne wind turbine to harness the abundant energy in strong, steady winds at higher altitudes.”
Altaeros is particularly interested in providing a reliable source of low cost energy to the “remote power and microgrid market”. This sector, which largely depends on pricey diesel generators, includes remote and island communities; oil, gas, mining, agriculture and telecommunication firms; disaster relief organisations; and military bases.
Established in 2010 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Altaeros Energies was the recipient of the 2011 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize. The US$1.3 million ($1.4 million) project has received funding and support from several high-profile organisations, including the US Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research programs and the Alaska Energy Authority.
Via Inhabitat.
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