Domestic wind generators one day could be kite-like devices flying 15,000 ft high and sending much of the planets energy down to the ground through cables.

That’s the picture given by this page:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airborne_wind_turbine

Although no airborne turbines are yet in production, researchers appear to be optimistic about their potential. The high winds of the jet stream are so powerful that harnessing just 1% of their power would meet the needs for the whole planet.

Unlike gusts at ground level, at high altitudes the winds are constantly very strong – ideal for generating lots of energy.

The disadvantages of such a system would be that it would create no-fly zones to prevent aircraft collisions. But that seems a small inconvenience to me.

This invention could in theory be scaled down for use at very small altitudes. Since the wind at just 100-200 feet is so powerful, domestic wind generators such as these could be powerful enough for a single unit to power an entire home.

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