Airship-Style Wind Turbines

A new form of wind energy is under development that promises more consistent power and lower deployment costs by adapting the design of an airship. Its long inflatable shell is made of the same materials as modern blimps. These wind turbines are suspended up to 600 meters in the air. This gives them a significant advantage over other forms of wind energy which are unreliable due to the fact that wind volume is unpredictably variable. But the wind is always blowing at this higher altitude. These generators have the potential to be an ideal energy source for rural communities, disaster areas, and places where it is difficult to build other types of wind energy platforms. Sawes Energy Technology of China is testing its latest model which is 30 meters long, 15 meters wide, and is as tall as a three-story building. It can generate over one megawatt of power, which it delivers through a cable to the generator below. That is enough power to supply about 1,000 homes. The company’s CEO and chief designer, called this test “a critical step towards putting the product into real-world use”. The company expects to begin mass production of these turbines in early 2026.