Humanity has recently begun to produce huge amounts of electricity worldwide from wind energy. However, unfortunately, it is difficult to obtain proper wind energy from places close to the surface. That’s why we have to build high poles even on hills. SkySails Energy, on the other hand, is trying to solve this by raising a parachute-like sail with an 800-meter-long rope to a height of 400 meters and using the region where the wind blows 2-3 times faster and the energy is 8-27 times higher.
The system automatically releases the parachute-like kite from a 20-meter tower, and while the direction is given in the sky by automatic guides at the end of the parachute, the rope released in the main unit is shortened and lengthened. The system rewinds where the wind power is low and oscillates where the wind power is high, thus the retraction energy constitutes 5-10% of the energy it produces.
Naturally, during stormy times, the system is collected and stored. In case the wind suddenly stops, the central system is planned to collect the kite, create artificial wind and ensure that it lands properly on the tower.
One of the most important features of the system is that it provides regular electricity production from fossil fuels due to the regularity of winds at high altitudes. This ensures that the system requires less battery than other renewable energy sources. In fact, the system is far ahead of all other renewable energies with its 75% operating capacity throughout the year, day and night.
The developed structure can be operated even below zero in rain or snow. The only problem of the system at the moment is the power capacity it produces due to the low area benefiting from wind. A single system can reach 200 kW of power. This is very small compared to the 16 MW power record that a single one of these huge wind turbines can produce.
It seems that the commercial use of the developed wind sail will be quite limited unless it is enlarged and increased to MW level, because it seems more reasonable to install one of a conventional turbine, operate and maintain it, rather than installing dozens of such a system. The company’s hope is that one has already released a product and the other has started working on the expanded system.
It seems possible to produce significant amounts of energy in the future with stronger, lighter ropes and more durable parachute fabric. With the development of material science, the need for regular replacement of rope and parachute will decrease and the system will become increasingly profitable and attract investors.
For now, the system has targeted island countries as its best area of use, and an agreement has already been made with the Republic of Mauritius, an east African island country. The island country, which is 2000 km away from the coast and has limited area, has serious difficulties in finding renewable energy for its 1.2 million population and unfortunately fossil resources are used extensively.
The company has also tried to reduce fuel consumption thanks to wind power in ship transportation thanks to parachutes in recent years, but since it has not been able to standardize it so far, it has completely separated the energy production unit from the unit for the ship.
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