A Kite That Might Fly

The notion of tethered wind turbines that generate electricity from abundant and reliable high-altitude winds seems futuristic. Now, KAUST research led by Georgiy Stenchikov has identified the most favorable areas for high-altitude wind-energy systems in the Middle East.

Windmills could harvest wind energy from the lower
 100-150 m and suffer from intermittent wind supply.
 But there is abundant wind resource higher up which has led
 researchers and energy companies to explore the potential
for using winds at high altitudes. © ImageSource

The results confirm that there is abundant wind energy up there that could feasibly be harnessed, bringing the possibility of high-altitude power generation a step closer.

“We are very enthusiastic about taking this work forward,” says Udaya Gunturu, who studies atmospheric processes at KAUST.

Read the Science and Technology Research News story - “A Kite That Might Fly.”