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Image source: ET Digital. Taken from YouTube.
A Chinese energy company has successfully tested an experimental airship-style wind turbine capable of generating electricity above cities and outback communities.
The S2000 Airborne Wind Energy System (AWES), developed by Beijing Linyi Yunchuan Energy Technology Co., Ltd., is a large helium-filled airship containing 12 wind turbines.
The craft rises thousands of feet, taking advantage of steady wind speeds at high altitudes to spin turbines and generate electricity. It is then sent via tethered cables to the ground below, where it can enter the power grid.
During the test flight, the manufacturer flew the S2000 at an altitude of 6,560 feet (2,000 meters) above Sichuan Province, generating 385 kilowatt hours of electricity.
This is enough to power the average American home for approximately 13.3 days. usage data Provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The S2000 is reported to have an overall length of 197 feet (60 m), a height of 131 feet (40 m), and a width of 131 feet (40 m). global times. The system is rated for a total power rating of 3 MW.
Developers say the new technology has several potential uses. “First, for off-grid environments such as border posts, it can be used as a relatively stable conventional energy source,” Weng Hanke, chief technology officer of Linyi Yunchuan Energy Technology Co., Ltd. explained, Tide News, a subsidiary of the state-owned Zhejiang Daily Newspaper Group, reported via the Global Times..
“The other is to complement traditional ground-based wind power systems and create a three-dimensional energy supply.”
If realized at scale, the approach could have transformational potential for countries with limited space for onshore wind power, such as many in continental Europe, as well as countries without the shallow seabed needed for offshore wind power, such as Japan.
However, the reliability of tethered cables in providing stable power to the grid requires further testing.
In all but the most remote rural communities, 1.25 miles (2,000 m) of cable can pose a dangerous obstruction to aircraft. In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority need Those wishing to fly tethered balloons to altitudes above 200 feet (60 m) need to apply for a special permit to avoid the risk of aircraft sharing airspace with the balloons.
In addition to safety issues, the S2000 will need to undergo rigorous testing to ensure its viability for reliable commercial operations. Standard wind turbines require regular maintenance, and repairs on this aircraft can be difficult and more expensive because each repair must require a return to the ground.
Wind power density
Wind turbines can produce more electricity at higher wind power density (a measure of wind energy available at a given height). For example, offshore wind turbines can capture the higher, more consistent wind speeds over open water.
These offshore turbines are also much larger than their onshore counterparts, with Chinese manufacturer Dongfang Electric’s DEW-26 MW-310 offshore turbine having a hub as high as 606.9 feet (185 m). Floating wind turbines could be just as huge, with recently unveiled towers Record-breaking floating wind turbine The height from China Huaneng Group reaches 489 feet (152 m).
For example, according to U.S. national standards, the average offshore wind speed for a wind farm in U.S. waters at an altitude of 295 feet (90 m) is 7 meters per second. Marine Cadastral Country Viewera web-based data viewer produced by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Coastal Management.
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It’s difficult to tell the exact wind speed at different altitudes because wind speeds vary by location and weather.
Aerospace Group Omnidea estimate Wind density increases approximately sixfold between 328 and 8,200 feet (100 and 2,500 m), with an average wind speed of 33.5 mph (15 m/s) at 8,200 feet
This highlights the potential efficiencies that can be unlocked by better harnessing high-altitude wind speeds using tethered flying wind turbines such as the S2000.