World’s first megawatt-level airborne 'windmill' feeds power to grid

China has successfully tested the world’s first megawatt-level airborne wind power system, the S2000, which ascended to 6,560 feet (2,000 meters) in Yibin, Sichuan Province, and fed 385 kilowatt-hours of electricity directly into the local grid. Developed by Beijing Linyi Yunchuan Energy Technology, the helium-lifted S2000 uses a large aerostat to access stronger, more consistent high-altitude winds, converting this energy into electricity transmitted to the ground via a tethered cable. The test marked a significant milestone for commercial airborne wind power, demonstrating stable hover and power generation capabilities suitable for urban and off-grid applications. The S2000 system features a unique ducted design, where an annular wing and the main envelope form a duct that concentrates and compresses airflow to enhance turbine efficiency. This design leverages the cubic relationship between wind speed and energy output, enabling the system to generate significantly more power than conventional ground-based turbines