Germany tests kite-driven tidal power plant using cable car tech

A German research team from Munich University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich and a cable car manufacturer enrope GmbH, has developed and tested a novel tidal power plant prototype inspired by ski lift technology. The system, called cableKites, uses small underwater kites attached to a continuously circulating cable loop. Water currents push the kites, which drive the cable and in turn power generators located at pulleys at both ends of the system. Unlike traditional ski lifts where pulleys drive the cable, here the cable’s movement, powered by water flow, generates electricity. The prototype was tested in the Middle Isar Canal near Landshut, Germany, where steady water currents of 0.6 meters per second simulate marine conditions. The device, weighing about 220 lbs and 59 feet long, demonstrated stable kite alignment and speeds up to 1.5 meters per second. The underwater kites, much smaller than airborne wings due to water’s higher density, efficiently convert