Humongous sails line the white beaches of Mauritius, ones similar to what paragliders use, only much larger. Though from afar they look like a tourist attraction, this next generation of wind power is in fact generating electricity for the power grid off the east coast of Africa.

SkySails Power, a company of German origin launched this enormous wing in December 2021, and is the world’s first fully autonomous commercial “airborne wind energy” system. The company says it has harnessed a little less than its goal of 100 kilowatts (sufficient to supply to 50 homes) over the last two months.

With the world heading towards net-zero emissions in future, dozens of establishments and some academic institutions are delving into a whole new world of airborne solutions. There are soft wings which convert the tug and pull on a kite’s string to energy as well as a sophisticated rigid craft carrying turbines and generators which shuttle power down a restrain.

However, kites would not substitute conventional wind generation. It’s advantageous that it’s comparatively economical, easy to carry to a remote location and adjustable height to name a few. They’re simply lighter and simpler in material and cost, though the technology would require a lot more iterations before it could play a role in the nation’s energy solution.
-BBC