Comments on: High-Altitude Wind Power with Yo-Yo Kites

By: George

George — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Why turn the kite out of the wind when you can instead remotely signal the kite to spill wind – perhaps even mechanically? Would take much less energy to pull in this way, no?

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:16:00 +0000

thanks. i thought it looked familiar.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 16:51:00 +0000

The first time I saw this idea it was promoted by Dutch astronaut Wubbo Ockels, now professor renewable energy at TU Delft. There is a vid here by James May: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYRTuWyqIsc

TU Delft named their apparatus the ‘laddermolen’ or ‘laddermill’. You’ll be able to find more videos of trials. They have been working on this since at least 2007. It is nice to see there are more companies trying this idea.

By: Matthew Todd Peffly

Matthew Todd Peffly — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 13:28:00 +0000

I think you will see then on the western planes first. Much friendlier environment. Will want to be able to monitor them and correct design issues. Also low population means that you just need a area out of the main flight paths. Not sure how they will deal with personal planes. With a 3 min speed scan of their sight I don’t see the planned height. But we do see

“The most favourable altitude in term of wind power is, quite difficult to exploit, at approx. 10,000 m (32,800 ft), where average wind speeds can exceed 45 m/s (equal to 162 km/h or 100 mph).”and”Every point on the Earth surface, on average, 800 m above it, has enough wind power to be exploited with a Kite Gen power plant for energy generation.”

So we are not talking close to the ground, and that cable will not be super easy to see. In the long term they may end up off shore, but they will want to prove then on shore first where the costs are lower.

By: Zachary Shahan

Zachary Shahan — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:39:00 +0000

Totally agree. And nice pun at the end.

By: Matthew Todd Peffly

Matthew Todd Peffly — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:08:00 +0000

I think the ttwo biggest blocks for this approach, and all the “flying turbine” approaches is: (1) Getting startup funds, it is new, the power sector is very slow to new. (2) Flight paths, you need a big area where planes don’t flight. It should NOT be a problem, but because it will be for a while. Hopefully they will be popping up soon.

By: dynamo.joe

dynamo.joe — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:32:00 +0000

So, isn’t this the perfect solution for deep off-shore wind power?
That roundish ground structure seems like it would be pretty bouyant if enclosed. You need only tether it to the sea floor unlike the current off-shore wind towers, which are actually built into the sea floor. And for the NIMBY’s a much smaller structure overall.
I’m not sure how big that kite is, but could you even see it a mile off-shore?