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China’s Airborne Wind Turbine Connects to Grid in Short High‑Altitude Test

Developers will now pursue longer, higher‑output trials to gauge real‑world viability.

Overview

  • The S2000 SAWES, an airship‑like platform from Beijing Linyi Yunchuan Energy Technology, completed a brief grid‑connected flight over Yibin in Sichuan Province.
  • The system rose to roughly 2,000 meters and delivered 385 kWh during a test lasting about 30 minutes.
  • Measuring about 60 by 40 by 40 meters, the platform generates power aloft and transmits it to the ground through a tethered cable for grid integration.
  • The prototype is described as megawatt‑class, with press materials reporting a maximum rated capacity of 3 megawatts.
  • Planned next steps include longer‑duration and higher‑output runs plus optional communications and monitoring payloads, with major hurdles remaining in airspace certification, extreme‑weather resilience, launch and retrieval, and proving year‑round economics.