Windmills have been providing power to the world for ages but they have always had one limitation: height. The higher the altitude, the stronger and more consistent the wind is, which is why Italian company Kitenergy has developed technology that harnesses the power of the wind from a kite flying between 300 to 1,000 meters above the earth and converts it into electricity. The kite is equipped with motion sensors that allow it be controlled automatically and is fastened by two cables attached to a generator that converts the traction forces acting on the cables into electricity. What’s remarkable is that the wind power available at 800 meters is roughly four times greater than for wind turbines operating at 80 meters. The low cost and mobility of this kite technology may make be favorable for locations where building a wind turbine isn’t an option.
Kites can harness energy where wind turbines can’t
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