- Chinese firm tests megawatt class airborne wind system feeding electricity to the grid
- Helium lifted S2000 airship reaches 2km and generates grid power
- Developers target urban and off grid wind energy applications
A Chinese firm has tested what it describes as the world’s first megawatt class airborne wind power system designed to feed electricity directly into the grid.
The helium lifted platform, known as the S2000, rose to about 6,560ft and generated power during a recent flight test in southwest China.
The system was developed by Beijing based company Linyi Yunchuan Energy Technology and completed its maiden grid connected test near Yibin in Sichuan Province.
The world's first MW-class S2000 Stratosphere Airborne Wind Energy System (SAWES) for urban use has successfully completed a test flight in Yibin, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. During the test, the system ascended to an altitude of 2,000 meters, generating and feeding 385… pic.twitter.com/CFynQ6h0b8January 13, 2026
385 kilowatt hours of electricity
During the flight, the airship climbed to roughly 2km and generated 385 kilowatt hours of electricity, which was fed into the local grid.
The test marked the first real world power generation demonstration for the S2000, also called the Stratosphere Airborne Wind Energy System, or SAWES.
Visually, the platform resembles a large airship, with a floating envelope and an integrated power generation structure suspended beneath it.
The company said the system measures about 197ft long and 131ft wide and high, making it suitable for deployment closer to urban areas than many experimental airborne wind systems.
Interesting Engineering says the ascent took around 30 minutes, after which the platform maintained a stable hover while generating electricity.
The S2000 relies on a helium filled aerostat to lift a lightweight wind power unit into higher altitude wind layers, where airflow is typically stronger and steadier.
Electricity generated aloft is transmitted to the ground through a tether, which also plays a role in stabilizing and positioning the platform.
Weng Hanke, chief technology officer at Linyi Yunchuan, said the company is targeting both off grid uses and integration with conventional wind farms.
“One is for off-grid settings like border outposts, where it can serve as a relatively stable conventional energy source. The other is to complement traditional ground-based wind power systems, creating a three-dimensional approach to energy supply,” he said.
A key feature of the design is its ducted airflow system, formed between the main envelope and an annular wing.
“It’s like wrapping the wind from all sides, constraining the airflow within this duct so that as much wind as possible is captured by the blades. We have deployed 12 wind turbines on this duct,” Weng said.
The company says the system can reach a rated capacity of up to 3MW, supported by a total volume of nearly 20,000 cubic meters.
Linyi Yunchuan has begun small batch production and is planning expanded manufacturing capacity for envelope materials in Zhejiang Province.
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