Little by little wind energy is distancing itself from wind farms on the ground. Tests are being conducted to exploit the force of the wind high up in the sky. The energy from the wind high up in the sky is inexhaustible.

One of these projects is the SKY WIND project where the energy producer rises up in the sky like a helicopter and then turns into a wind energy producer of electricity letting itself be carried by the very powerful wind force high up in the sky. Engineers of the Makani Power are lucky because they are working and making trials over the air base Alameda in California.

The engineers concerned have or rather are inspired by the kite that goes up high in the sky. At present the wind energy is exploited by the use of wind mills that turn and like any dynamo produces electricity. The Makani project has no propellers. A large sail is pushed up into the sky just like a huge kite enrolling a wire on a winch on the ground that produces electricity as the winch starts to turn on itself. The system goes up to fetch the wind, the more it rise the more efficient it becomes.

The most interesting project is the Joby Energy projects that rises to 10 000 meters up into the sky meeting the altitude where the wind is at its utmost. This is a combination of blades and rotors that settle down thanks to the wind force. Blades linking the rotors to form a single unit serve as small wings while rotors do not stop whirling. Of course the main problem is how to bring down all that energy. It is planned that an electric wire will do the job. But what about the planes that fly at that altitude and others.

How could they avoid to hit these engines and not be entangled in the wire. All these are problems to be resolved. However a similar apparatus of about 10 meters span and weighing 60 kg has already flown. Nobody can tell what man can invent.

Inspired by an article in Science & Vie Junior Similar information on the exploitation of the wind energy can be found in Google