Green Tech Today 13

Green Tech Today Episode 13

Green Tech Today 13: Makani Power

Top 25 Green Tech Innovators Series: Using airplanes on cables to generate electricity from the wind.

Hosts

• Kirsten Sanford (@drkiki)
  • kirstensanford.com
• Cowin Hardham, CEO and CTO of Makani Power
  • http://www.makanipower.com/

Topics

• Technology
  • Based on Kites (tethered to the ground)
  • Inspiration from the huge force imparted while kite-surfing
  • Uses an airplane wing-like kite, which flies in a circle...approximately the path that a wind turbine's blade would follow
  • Propellers on the kite convert the motion of the air to energy
• Siting
  • Works better in low-wind, so lots more places in the US it could be put
  • Great for off-shore, because it doesn't need a huge counterweight under the water
  • Need to get FAA authorization for each specific location (like a wind turbine)

Sponsors

GE

• Ecomagination.com/Challenge
• GE Video 3
• ad times: :29 - :55 and 16:51 - 17:47

Squarespace

• Squarespace.com offer code GreeTech
• ad times: :55 - 1:11 and 23:58 - 25:22

Production Information

• Edited by: Jeff
• Notes:

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