Often when people think of wind power, they think of tall white turbines standing still, waiting for a gust of wind so they can generate electricity. Traditional windmill models rely on strong currents and backup sources to provide consistent energy, however, Airborne Wind Energy Systems are working on solutions for dependable wind power. These systems employ tethered wings or aircrafts that reach high altitudes to access consistent jet streams and reliable wind currents. Electricity can be generated at ground level from the traction created when the wind pulls on a tether or from turbines integrated with the airborne equipment, as is the case with Google’s Project Makani. This technology has also been considered for environmental monitoring, telecommunication, and agribusiness applications. Wind 2.0 technology has tremendous potential for on and off grid energy production, and will be a cost effective way to diversify power grids in the future. Join us on January 26th to learn about how the new generation of wind energy is taking off.