Wind energy is one of the most promising sources of renewable energy. In recent years, large-scale wind farms have sprung up all over the world. Of all the renewable energies available to us today, wind energy is the best that can compete with fossil energy sources. And technical developments will make it even more efficient. Everything points to the installation of many more wind turbines across the world. The number of offshore wind farms in particular will increase because energy production at sea is much more efficient than on land. But other developments are also conceivable such as the integration of wind turbines in urban skyscrapers, and mobile or flying turbines. Scientists at MIT are working on the idea of gigantic flying wind turbines that are integrated in an inflatable helium shell. These flying wind turbines can reach a flying height of 200-300 m – heights where the wind blows 5-8 times more intensely and much more consistently than on land. They are automatically steered to a height where the wind provides optimal wind strength. The energy generated is transmitted down through cables to land-based storage units and from there fed into the power grid. The flying wind turbines can produce 2-3-times more energy than conventional surface-mounted wind turbines. The technology of flying generators lends itself particularly well to areas difficult to access.

The artwork “floating generators” visualises the development of future wind generators. Five such generators float in their shiny silver helium shell in the sky over a snow-covered mountain landscape. In the foreground what seems at first sight to be a smooth and calm surface, reflecting the generators. The surface of the water is not smooth but breaks into multi-layer filigree structures. These refer to the most important invisible element in the picture – the wind. The wind turbines were produced using 3D software and their appearance is based on prototypes developed by MIT. These developments are still in the prototype stage but we are bound to see flying wind turbines in the sky in many places around the world in the future. Wind is an inexhaustible resource on our planet. The advanced development of this technology and an even more efficient energy production using it is an essential step on the way to a fossil-free future.