Chinese engineers have tested the world's largest kite designed to generate electricity. This was reported by the South China Morning Post, noting that the tests took place at a test site in Inner Mongolia.
The device, which resembles a giant parachute, was created by China Energy Engineering Corporation as part of a project to develop high-altitude wind power. Such systems use more powerful air currents above ground and can potentially produce energy cheaper than traditional onshore wind turbines.
A kite with an area of about 5,000 square meters was lifted to a height of over 300 meters — it pulled the cable, rotating the generator on the ground. In the future, such installations are planned to be deployed at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters. Due to the lightweight materials and minimal use of metal, the cost of such energy systems can be significantly lower than classical solutions.
