Delft professor puts kites high on list for renewable energy
(Phys.org) —The word "kite" at the Delft University of Technology hardly means summertime fun and recreation. Rather, scientists see "kite" as an important airborne wind technology, with advantages lacking in wind turbines. The university's kite team are encouraged by recent tests in a field near the aerospace engineering department at the university. That is where Roland Schmehl, associate professor, who has a background in computational fluid dynamics, continues to explore kite power. In terms of project scope, such kite trials are dwarfed by impressive wind turbines, but that is just the point. Schmehl believes that conventional turbines only scratch the layer of what can be available in wind as an energy resource, if kite power investigations lead to larger-scale developments. A kite can fly higher and may harness steady winds beyond the limit of conventional turbines.