Wind energy is largely untapped when it comes to green power sources. While the last decade and a half has seen huge interest spurt in solar power and the energy from the sun is now being incorporated into every technology, big and small, to ensure that there is greater use of clean and renewable energy sources, wind power somehow has not been embraced with the same enthusiasm. Maybe it is because of its fickle nature or maybe even because we are yet to learn fully the true potential of wind energy. But Kitepower wishes to change all that.
Designed by Reinhart Paelinck, Kitepower harnesses wind energy using a cool new system that derives its inspiration from the past marine history. Man has always depended on wind to carry him across high seas for a long time and by using the very same principle with a cool new twist, he is able to generate useful clean energy from wind.
By using a modified hollow kite-like structure that you normally use in Parasailing, a set of turbines is placed in calm waters as the high flying kite taps into wind energy and exerts the pull on the turbines to produce electricity. By designing a stable pod structure that floats on water and hence can be placed out in the oceans, unabated wind power can be tapped into with ease.
Since the hollow kite structure flies 300 to 500 meters above sea level, there is a lot more opportunity for it to catch wind consistently and at high speeds. The design requires only 10% of construction material that is otherwise used in building traditional turbines. Kitepower is one design that we can totally get behind. It tries to exploit avenues of clean energy that are generally left in the dark. Just for that simple reason we give this a thumbs up.
Via: Portfolio
