Directory:Wind:Ladder Mills

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Image:LadderMill demo Aug2007 crop jp70.jpg

The Laddermill is a Directory:High Altitude Wind Power design which consists of a series of wings or kites all connected to the ground via cable, forming a huge rotating loop.

After extensive 3D modelling, the system was successfully tested on Aug. 29, 2007.

Once commercialized, the system is expected to generate electricity at around 5 cents per kilowat-hour, with costs spread over 4-5 years which is competative with the cheaper conventional utility scale electricity costs.

: "At the moment we are the only developers who have managed to succeeed in this concept, although other groups are also testing it in Italy and Australia" -- Dr Wubbo Ockels (Aug. 29, 2007) http://www.rense.com/general78/kinet.htm

Official Website

http://www.ockels.nl/

http://home.tiscali.nl/~ockels

Latest Developments

August 5, 2008

Image:Delft University Electric Kite 95x95.jpg

Kite Power Could Generate Energy for 100,000 Homes - Scientists at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands recently tested just such a technology, tethering a 10 square meter kite to a generator to produce 10 kilowatts of power (enough energy for 10 homes). They are currently planning to scale the experiment with a 50 kilowatt kite and a 100 megawatt array called the Laddermill that could potentially power 100,000 homes! (Video, Guardian, UK')' (Inhabitat'' August 5, 2008)

How it Works

Quoting from http://www.ockels.nl/Introduction.htm

The Laddermill consists of a series of wings or kites all connected to a cable that forms a huge loop. Like the wings of an aeroplane will the wind cause an upward lift force to the wings. By changing the attitude of the wing (angle of attack with respect to the wind) can the lift force be made larger or smaller.

The wings on one side of the cable loop are all placed such that they produce the maximum lift force, while the wings on the other side of the loop will give a much smaller lift that in fact is just sufficient to support their own weight and the weight of the cable.

The result is a large difference in force between the two ends at the ground. When the cable loop is guided around a wheel on the ground the force difference will drive the wheel. By connecting the wheel to a generator electricity will be produced.

The wind energy aloft has thus been transferred to electricity on the ground.

Cost

The cost calculations include the cable and wing constructions as well as the ground station mechanisms, power conversion and storage. These calculations lead to an expected installation cost of FL 1000.- or 400 US$ per kilowatt. A 10 megawatt Laddermill system would thus cost 8 million guilders and would provide an average of 3.5 megawatt electrical power. This leads to 5 cent/kWh when amortising the investment over 4-5 years. http://www.ockels.nl/faq.htm

Patents

Profiles

Company: Drachen Foundation

This method is being considered at Delft University in the Netherlands.

Inventor: Wubbo Ockels

Invented by Dutch astronaut-scientist Dr. Wubbo Ockels.

Contents

1:

Coverage
2:

Related Technologies
3:

Contact
4:

See also

Coverage

In the News

http://www.ockels.nl/News.htm - company news page

'Kinetic Energy Kite' Creates Electricity - This kinetic-energy kite flown above the fields of Groningen, in northern Europe today created 10,5kw electricity, which is stored in "ladder-mills" designed by Dutch astronaut-scientist Dr Wubbo Ockels. (Rense Aug. 29, 2007)

http://www.rtvnoord.nl:80/nieuws/index.asp?actie=totaalbericht&pid=68034 Dutch news report

Scientists look high in the sky for power - By lofting generators into the upper atmosphere, scientists theorize they could capture the power of the jet stream and transmit the electricity along cables back to Earth. Dozens of researchers around the world believe huge kite-like wind-power generators could be the solution, potentially meeting the world's entire electrical needs. (San Fransico Chronicle May 7, 2007)

Harvesting Energy in the Sky - Article addresses airborne -- up to 10km in the sky -- wind farms intended to harvest the immense supply of energy in the jet stream. San Diego-based Sky WindPower believes they can not only make this work, but do so profitably. Several other ideas discussed for high-flying wind farming including a Dutch proposal to use pairs of kites to drive a generator. (The Economist Apr. 3, 2007) (See ''Slashdot discussion)

Wind Power - Concept of 5-mile-into-the-sky cable with chain of controllable wing-like kites attached to a looped cable, generating 100 MW. Developers at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands hope to build a working model in the next four years. (Alt Eng News Dec. 19, 2004)

Using Kites to Generate Electricity: Plodding, Low Tech Approach Wins (pdf) - Five schemes for power generation were identified and evaluated with 12 criteria. For convenience, the schemes were dubbed Ladder Mill, Reel, Fly Gen, Buggy, and Sail. (Drachen Foundation Journal Fall 2004)

Other Coverage

Interview Wubbo Ockels - Prof dr Wubbo Ockels is de man die Nederland op de kaart zette van de ... om met behulp van wind en vleugels grote hoeveelheden energie op te wekken. ... (Ecoboot.nl)

Comments

See Talk:Directory:Wind:Ladder Mills

http://users.balpol.tudelft.nl/~spier/ - official Ladder Mills forum

Related Technologies

Contact

Website assigned to:

W. J. Ockels

Wubbo Ockels BV

Boekenroodeweg 45

2111HK AERDENHOUT

Netherlands

Wubbo Ockels email: wubbo.ockels {at} worldonline.nl

Dave Lang email: ddlang {at} cypressmail.net.