Did you know the air blows much stronger at higher altitudes? It therefore makes plenty of sense to put a wind turbine up there to harness the energy; that’s exactly what the residents of Fairbanks, Alaska, will be enjoying soon. The MIT startup Altaeros Energies has been given a $1.3 million grant by the Alaska Energy Authority to test the design over the course of 18 months. The turbine, known as BAT-Buoyant Airborne Turbine, will be filled with Helium and allowed to go up 1,000-2,000 feet where it’ll be able to generate twice as much power as a ground-based structure. While it’s up there, it’ll also serve as a WiFi hotspot, providing not only power but Internet connectivity to the families currently living off the grid in these remote areas.
VIA [ Inhabitat ]
I read an article about the price of helium going way up, so what is the cost/benefit of this idea, or, is it just another boondoggle government program?