this post was submitted on 25 Sep 2025
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133
'Windmill': China tests world’s first megawatt-level airship to capture high winds (interestingengineering.com)
submitted 1 week ago by kalkulat@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
21 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

"High-altitude winds between 1,640 and 3,281 feet (500 and 10,000 meters) above the ground are stronger and steadier than surface winds. These winds are abundant, widely available, and carbon-free.

"The physics of wind power makes this resource extremely valuable. “When wind speed doubles, the energy it carries increases eightfold, triple the speed, and you have 27 times the energy,” explained Gong Zeqi "

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[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The fact that helium is such a rare, irreplaceable, and scientifically useful material makes it wild to me that we use it to fill kids' party balloons.

[–] frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 week ago

Tom Scott visited the US National Helium Reserve and talked to the field manager of the facility. According to him, it's not that big of a deal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOy8Xjaa_o8

(Relevant bit starts around 2:58)

[–] aburrito@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago

Good news, it’s not that rare that that would make a difference. There’s plenty of it, just need different extraction techniques to further up the supply (unfortunately, that’s fracking lately iirc)

[–] bladerunnerspider@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

There are two grades of helium wells in terms of purity. Medical and kids' parties.. so that's why it's is still used for balloons.