Scientists from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands harnessed energy from the wind by flying a 10-sq metre kite tethered to a generator, producing 10 kilowatts of power.
The experiment generated enough electricity to power 10 family homes, and the researchers have plans to test a 50kW version of their invention, called Laddermill, eventually building up to a proposed version with multiple kites that they claim could generate 100 megawatts, enough for 100,000 homes."
"Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist at Stanford University's Carnegie Institution, has estimated that the total energy contained in wind is 100 times the amount needed by everyone on the planet. But most of this energy is at high altitude."
The rest of the article is really interesting, I'd definitely recommend reading it. (The video's bearable, but by no means spectacular)
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- constantdisregard
- added this
- added August 03, 2008
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COME ON RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES!!:D
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- Laizzzaaarrr
- 11 months ago
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This is great! I wish people took more interesting in alternative energy sources
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- jimenagamio
- 11 months ago
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Great!!! another fine Idea. I knew we had it in us.
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- kennymotown
- 11 months ago
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You rock UK! I love the creativity.
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- MeganMcKenzie
- 11 months ago
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Lets just drill off-shore.
Seriously though this is the absolute truth:
"We have an abundance of renewable energy and there are a lot of visionary technologies coming along so that, in future, the sky's the limit.'How quickly technology will make it to market depends on how much investors are willing to put in."
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That is a great idea and would keep the arrogant pilots from flying too low blasting our homes with these dangerous low frequency sounds.
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That's fabulous, how festive! That puts a smile on my face =)
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megan McKenzie
it's the guardian but they are Dutch, anyway, great job, one kite ten homes, really good ratio!-
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- alexandrek
- 11 months ago
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i'm not sure i understand how a kite is tethered to a generator? and how that creates electricity... the video didn't show this, suppose i'll have a look at the article...
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- sustainablejohn
- 11 months ago
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Interesting. If only it could power my car.
But still this is very cool that they can pull that much energy from the wind. Creative.
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I sense a tangling problem in the near future.
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- clapforpepe
- 11 months ago
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word tf up
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- logicpocket
- 11 months ago
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kites...simple but BRiLLiant
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- brillsmarts
- 11 months ago
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Slowly, but surely, we're getting better at being better to our planet!
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Wow! First ships, now homes? Kites are the way of the future.
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thats awesome
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What an awesome idea!!!
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This is amazing!
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- joshuaheller
- 11 months ago
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It's ridiculous how simple some of these energy solutions are. Makes you wonder why it's taken us so long to start...oh...nevermind. I remember now.
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Can I volunteer to be a professional kite-flying energy-generator please? That has got to be the coolest job ever.
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- LindseyIndigo
- 11 months ago
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oh, how things are changing....!!!!!! for the good....
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Now only if our law makers will fund research so we can figure out how to make this viable to the mass population, instead of making more weapons. The problem has never been alternative ideas about our energy needs, but rather our resistance to embrace them. But then again, we know why that is, don't we...
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Awesome!!
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This is the kind of thinking I love. I think the only reason things like this weren't done years ago is...we didn't need to. Too bad the world payed for it. Hope we're not too late.
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- yaget1chance
- 11 months ago
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I'm all for this alternative, especially if it seems like it can save us money.
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- IndieArtist
- 11 months ago
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