New Wind Turbines Harness High-Altitude Winds Through Airborne Wind Power

The idea sounds futuristic, but it is already a reality: Instead of relying on tall towers, the Chinese company Sawes is shifting wind power utilization to the sky. Using helium-filled airships that generate electricity at altitudes of several hundred to over a thousand meters, the company has set several records within just a few months.

In October 2024, Beijing Sawes Energy Technology, together with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Tsinghua University, successfully deployed an airborne wind energy system for the first time: The S500 system ascended to a height of 500 meters (approx. 1,600 ft), delivering over 50 kilowatts of electrical power. This was not only a significant technical breakthrough but also set a new record for such technologies.

In January 2025, the next step followed with the S1000. This variant reached an altitude of 1,000 meters (approx. 3,300 ft) and generated about 100 kilowatts. The success confirmed that energy generation at medium altitudes is emerging as a viable and efficient solution.

The latest model appears much more ambitious: the S1500. This flying wind turbine, built in a Zeppelin-like design, will operate at an altitude of 1,500 meters (approx. 4,900 ft) and is designed for a capacity of 1 megawatt.

This corresponds to the output of a conventional wind turbine with a tower approximately one hundred meters high. Supported by helium, which carries the aerostat, the system generates electricity using a ring-shaped air intake and twelve centrally arranged carbon fiber microgenerators, transferring it to the ground station via a cable. Despite this output, the S1500 system weighs less than a ton, which is exceptionally lightweight for such a technology.

A central motivation behind the development lies in increasing efficiency by utilizing higher wind speeds. At an altitude of 1,500 meters (approx. 4,900 ft), the wind blows approximately three times faster than at ground level, potentially enabling up to 27 times more energy output. Additionally, the system boasts an impressive operational lifespan: with improved safety mechanisms, such as preventing gas loss, the S1500 system is designed to remain operational for over 25 years.

The project leaders see far more than just technological evolution in this advancement. The S1500 could serve as a reliable power source in remote or disaster-affected regions where conventional infrastructure is difficult to access or destroyed. Even more ambitious is the vision to take the technology up into the stratosphere, reaching altitudes of up to 10,000 meters (approx, 32,800 ft), where wind power is estimated to be up to 200 times stronger than at ground level, potentially enabling revolutionary efficiency.

In summary, the development from S500 to S1000 to S1500 symbolizes the advancing maturity of a technology that not only impresses technically but also provides concrete solutions to current challenges. The combination of mobility, high energy efficiency, and long-term availability positions Sawes with the S1500 on a path to fundamentally change the way we generate energy in the future—especially in places where electricity has been difficult or even impossible to access. (mr)