VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, led by Georgiy Stenchikov, have identified the most favorable areas for high-altitude wind-energy systems in the Middle East. The results confirm that there is abundant wind energy up there that could feasibly be harnessed, bringing the possibility of high-altitude power generation a step closer. “We are very enthusiastic about taking this work forward,” said Udaya Gunturu, at KAUST.

Wind turbines on the Earth’s surface suffer from the very stubborn problem of intermittent wind supply. This has led researchers and energy companies worldwide to look upwards and explore the possibilities of the strong and reliable winds at high altitudes. Flying a wind turbine on a kite-with the electricity being delivered to the ground through its tether-may seem an unlikely scenario, but several companies worldwide are already testing prototype systems.

These developments attracted the attention of the Saudi Basic ­Industries Corporation (SABIC), which funded the KAUST research to explore the opportunities in the Middle East. The researchers used information on wind strengths at different altitudes that were already available from the NASA. They processed this raw data to identify the most favorable areas for airborne wind-energy systems, and the optimal heights at which the turbines would need to fly.