New Bill Gates-backed wind power design heads to CES 2026 spotlight

The article discusses Airloom, a US wind energy startup backed by Bill Gates, which is developing an innovative wind turbine design aimed at addressing the rising power demands driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and hyperscale data centers. These data centers consume vast amounts of electricity, straining power grids and potentially increasing costs for consumers. Traditional horizontal-axis wind turbines face challenges such as large size, high costs, long deployment times, and limited suitable sites, which have slowed the expansion of wind energy as a scalable power source. Airloom’s alternative design features a low-profile turbine standing 66 to 98 feet tall, with a loop of adjustable wings moving along a track, resembling a roller coaster rather than a conventional windmill. This design reportedly uses 40% less mass, 42% fewer parts, and 96% fewer unique components, enabling simpler manufacturing and maintenance. The company claims its turbines can be deployed 85% faster and at 47% lower cost than traditional turbines,