Project makani fantastic new wind power concept from google

cells

http://www.google.com/makani/solution/

These look like a brilliant idea.

Instead of a fixed thousand ton wind turbine they fly a kite/drone hybrid to higher altitudes that is much simpler to build and deploy and use the higher and more consistent wind speeds to attain higher energy and higher CFs

Their much smaller size and materials would mean these can be mass produced far easier than huge wind turbines

Looks fantastic

purch

I'd be a bit worried about all those "tethers" hanging about.......especially with all the Amazon drones nipping around delivering parcels :eek:

alberty

Looks cool but what will it do in a storm?

Loughton_Monkey

alberty wrote: »

Looks cool but what will it do in a storm?

It will come down in ever decreasing circles, felling 30 mature trees, slice the heads of 40 cows, and circumcise 10 bulls.

But since the CO2 emissions from 40 cows equals the CO2 benefit of 30 trees, the makers will argue to the hilt that it is 'carbon neutral'.

cells

alberty wrote: »

Looks cool but what will it do in a storm?

30KW versions tested in one of the windiest parts of the state of california (PS its a shortened clip there is a real time one which is sped up 5x if anyone wants to see it)

It is a powered drone, so it controls itself all the time. Including flying out to get started or flying in to avoid a storm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSYMHzgLLn8

cells

purch wrote: »

I'd be a bit worried about all those "tethers" hanging about.......especially with all the Amazon drones nipping around delivering parcels :eek:

they wont be used in the cities just like current wind farms are not placed in cities.

Where ever you can place a normal wind mill you can place one of these

They are in effect just like a normal wind turbine only they are 99% less material (and hence should cost 1/10th to 1/100th the cost) and are projected to work more of the time (60% capacity factor VS 30% for good onshore wind turbines)


These on paper (technical and economic) look like they could really work and make windpower 1/10th its cost

Generali

I suspect that drone deliveries may be a flawed idea as pretty soon someone will work out how much fun you can have with:

- A stolen credit card
- A book order
- A bucket of baseballs
- A baseball bat

I'm normally quite positive about Zombie Robots of course.

Interesting concept from Google. I believe that if you go high enough there are places with basically guaranteed wind.

Loughton_Monkey

Generali wrote: »

..... I believe that if you go high enough there are places with basically guaranteed wind.

... as evidenced by one of the highest places of all, the House of Commons.

Loughton_Monkey

purch wrote: »

...especially with all the Amazon drones nipping around delivering parcels :eek:

By coincidence, I had an Amazon delivery today, and mentioned this to the Polish white van man. He was none too pleased to be called a 'drone'.

Once I explained it means "a person who does menial, distasteful, dull, or hard work in a routine, unimaginative way", he agreed.

onlyroz

Sounds like a great idea to me. I hope it gets off the ground

TickersPlaysPop

This will never happen.... reduce or wipe out our reliance on fossil fuels?.... it would remove the excuse for spending shed loads of money invading the Middle East!