Focus on Arts and Ecology

January 17, 2025 

A massive airship hovering 1,000 metres above a research base in Jiangxi province successfully generated over 100 kilowatts of electricity on 14 January, breaking two world records.

The airship, known as the “power station in the sky”, uses a helium-filled balloon to lift a lightweight generator into the sky, where it harnesses wind energy at high altitudes. The electricity generated is then transmitted back to the ground via tethered cables. It broke the industry world record for maximum launch height of a floating wind power system, as well as for maximum power generation by a single airship, reported Science and Technology Daily.

This innovative system holds potential for applications in emergency rescues, mapping, security for urban areas, and communication support, the newspaper reported.

Last October, a smaller version of the airship was launched which reached an altitude of 500 metres and successfully generated electricity. It broke the altitude record then held by an MIT startup, whose airborne wind turbine hovered 1,000 feet (305 metres) above ground for 18 months.

The availability of land to host traditional wind farms has been diminishing in some countries. Traditional wind farms require large amounts of space to generate a megawatt, and ideal locations get snapped up first. “The first [wind] farms are in the best spots, and the best spots are limited,” noted Cristina Archer, director of the University of Delaware’s Centre for Research in Wind. Given these limitations, high-altitude wind energy has been gaining attention as a possible alternative.

Globally, several countries are making strides in developing airborne wind energy systems (AWES), which use flying devices tethered to ground stations to harvest wind energy at high altitudes. The UK’s University of Bristol is conducting research on an AWES that uses drones to generate power. The system, in which drones fly in specific patterns against strong winds, requires precise control in order to prevent the drones from crashing back down to the ground. The research seeks to lower operating costs and improve AWES’ performance for commercial use.

In 2021, German company SkySails Power launched the world’s first fully autonomous commercial AWES in Mauritius. Taking the form of a large sail in the sky, the company claimed that the system nearly approached its target of generating 100 kilowatts – enough to provide power for 50 households – in two months. While this only meets a small portion of local demand, the company viewed it as a sign of the technology’s potential, noted the BBC.

(Sources: Dialogue Earth)