China Operates World-First High-Altitude Wind Power System

Ulanqab, a city in Inner Mongolia previously known for its pastureland, now serves as a significant computing hub for China's artificial intelligence sector. This development is supported by abundant wind power and the region's naturally cool climate, according to reports. The shift represents a change for an area traditionally associated with livestock grazing and potato cultivation.

Credit: UNSPLASH

Further advancements in energy generation involve airborne wind systems. China recently operated a prototype S4000 craft, which generated electricity after being flown to 4,000 metres above sea level. State broadcaster CCTV described this as a world first and a significant step towards engineering deployment for high altitude wind power. The craft completed a full work cycle at a test site in northwestern China, encompassing ascent, station keeping, power generation, and subsequent recovery.

And this S4000 craft, roughly the size of a Boeing 747, resembles an airship in its design. It is filled with helium, allowing it to float into the sky while carrying lightweight turbines. From its high operational altitude, the system accesses stronger, more consistent winds, relaying the generated electricity to the ground through a tether. This design also facilitates rapid relocation between different sites, making the system suitable for delivering electricity to remote locations. These include deserts, highlands, islands, and disaster zones, areas often beyond the reach of conventional power grids.

Beijing startup Sawes Energy Technology developed the S4000 in collaboration with Tsinghua University and the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Sawes Energy, established in 2023, names its models according to their intended operating altitude. Earlier this year, the S2000 model reached 2,000 metres. The S1500 model, capable of a 1 megawatt power output, flew the previous September.

But the company continues its developmental programme. As of March, these two models, the S1500 and S2000, had accumulated orders valued at nearly USD 74.3 million. A further model, the S6000, is presently undergoing development and is anticipated to achieve flight at altitudes exceeding 6,000 metres later this year, according to a report by Hunan Daily.

Developers have presented estimates regarding the operational costs of this airborne electricity generation. At an altitude of 3,000 metres, the costs of electricity produced by these systems are projected to approach those of traditional ground based wind power generation. They further indicated that systems operating at 9,000 metres could function for more than 8,000 hours each year, generating power at a rate of less than half a US cent per kilowatt hour.

So, national strategic directives acknowledge this potential. China's 15 year plan for renewable energy specifically calls for exploring and researching high altitude wind power. This directive extends to other new forms of wind generated electricity.

Beyond fully airborne systems, Chinese developers are also pursuing an alternative method for harnessing high altitude winds. This involves combining ground operated generators with a flying device. A wind catching canopy, measuring 5,000 square metres, was dispatched from Beijing the previous September. This canopy, described as the world's largest, forms part of a programme overseen by China Energy Engineering Corporation. Power generation trials for this particular system are scheduled to commence by the end of the year.

• Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, transitioned to an AI computing centre, powered by wind resources and a cool climate.

• China successfully operated the S4000 airborne wind energy system at 4,000 metres, generating electricity.

• Sawes Energy Technology developed the S4000 and other airborne models, securing orders worth nearly USD 74.3 million.

• Both fully airborne and ground operated generator systems are under development for high altitude wind power.

• Projected costs for high altitude wind power generation are competitive, especially at higher operational altitudes.

Source: SCMP