Giant kites to tap power of the high wind

Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist at Stanford University's Carnegie Institution, has estimated that the total energy contained in wind is 100 times the amount needed by everyone on the planet. But most of this energy is at high altitude.

The blades of modern commercial windmills sit around 80 metres from the ground, where the wind speed is almost five metres per second. At 800 metres, however, wind speed rises to seven metres per second, potentially generating considerably more energy.

It would be virtually impossible to build a standard turbine to take advantage of the wind at 800 metres, but kites could easily get to these heights. Furthermore, thanks to the high-speed jet stream, countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark are particularly suited to flying kites.

'Pretty much anywhere in the UK you could run a kite plant economically, but you couldn't run a wind turbine economically,' said Allister Furey of the University of Sussex, who develops computer control mechanisms to maximise the power generated from kites.

A kite generates power by pulling on a string attached to generators on the ground. When it has reached its maximum height, it is reeled back down to repeat the process.

Using computer models, Furey has worked out that flying kites in a figure of eight pattern means the air flowing over them travels even faster than the ambient wind speed. When a kite needs to be reeled in, it is angled so that it falls out of the sky like a glider, without the need for much power. Ockels's system uses these flying patterns to maximise the power the kites can generate. He is also looking at extending his basic prototype to use multiple kites that yo-yo: when one goes up, another goes down. Ockels estimates that kites could generate power at less than 4p per kilowatt-hour, which is comparable to coal power and less than half the cost of electricity from wind turbines.

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The 10 cheapest cars to run

Whatever type of car you need, choosing the right make and model could save you thousands of pounds in tax and fuel costs. Here are Money Central's top ten most fuel-efficient cars - whether you need a small runaround or a 4X4.
1. Small Runaround: Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI (80PS) with DPF BLUEMOTION
Price: £12,965
Verdict: Polos have a classy image, and because it is exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED) it is one of the cheapest cars to run. But be warned, What Car? says: “The ancient engines are noisy and gutless, prices are high and the drive is uninspiring.”
Co2 emissions: 99 g/km
Tax band/cost: A/ £0
Average petrol costs: £830 per 12,000 miles (the average distance travelled each year)

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Replacing Fridges 'Can Save on Energy Bills'

Customers worried about rising energy bills should look to replace their fridge-freezers and reduce household costs, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) said today.

According to figures from the firm, which advises householders on how to boost their energy efficiency, a new cold appliance could save around £34 per year. Moreover, around £1 billion is thought to be wasted annually on customers leaving other appliances such as tumble driers and washing machines on standby rather than switching them off entirely.

The EST's recommendations come as rising wholesale prices spark a new round of price rises among Britain's energy firms. EDF became the first of the big six providers to hike bills last weekend, imposing 17 percent and 22 percent increases on electricity and gas respectively.

Other firms are expected to follow this lead over weeks to come, bringing annual fuel costs to well over £1,000 for most families.

Caroline Rams at the Energy Saving Trust commentedd: "Replacing an old, energy inefficient fridge-freezer with a new energy saving recommended one could save you up to £34 every year. If we all made the change to more efficient cold appliances this week, together we'd save around £700 million every year."

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Record rise for British Gas bills

Millions of homeowners will be forced to pay hundreds more to heat and light their homes after British Gas announced massive gas price hikes of 35 per cent.

Electricity prices will also rise nine per cent, meaning the average dual fuel bill will increase by a massive £262 per year.

The hikes are to come into effect immediately and are the second increase by the company this year. They come days after power giant EDF said it was increasing prices by 22 per cent and electricity by 17 per cent.

All the other main suppliers such as Southern Electric, Eon and npower are expected to follow suit shortly.

Consumer groups said it could push average fuel prices to more than
1,500 a year by Christmas.

Tim Wolfenden, head of home services at eSwitch, said today’s increases had
taken him by surprise, adding: 'It is
drastic news for a huge number of consumers.

'These are the highest rises we
have seen in gas prices in years, if not
ever. We could see prices going up for
the next five years.'

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