Follow the Wind

摘要

After hydropower, wind is the second-biggest source of renewable electricity in the United States-and much of the country's wind capacity remains untapped. Because airborne wind energy systems are placed high in the air, where the strongest winds are, they can potentially capture energy at a fraction of the cost of a full-blown turbine, and they could be used to retrofit offshore oil platforms or decommissioned wind turbines. There's no consensus yet on what design is the most effective in capturing the wind, but here are a few contenders.