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China lets fly world's largest kite in Inner Mongolia for electric power generation (www.bangkokpost.com)

submitted 6 days ago by hanrahan@slrpnk.net to c/energy@slrpnk.net

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China has successfully deployed the world's largest power-generating kite, capable of harnessing the potential of energy-dense, high-altitude winds to provide cheaper power than traditional surface turbines

The 5,000 square-metre high-altitude wind power capture kite was unfurled at a test site at Alxa Left Banner in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

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[–] stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net 6 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

A really simplified explanation: the wind pushes the kite, which unreels the kite string, which spins the generator shaft to generate electricity.

When the kite string runs out, the kite folds up or changes its orientation so the wind isn't pushing it anymore, and the generator reels in the kite string. This takes less power than the kite previously generated because the kite isn't pushing against the wind while it's being reeled in.

When the kite string is reeled in far enough, the kite catches the wind again, the kite string starts unreeling again, repeat as long as there's wind.

It's actually, I think, a really creative implementation of wind power.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Ahh that makes sense. I wonder how long the “string” lasts?