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Kite powered cargo
Science World, April 21, 2008 by Dan Risch
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Being dragged along a beach by your kite is a rough way to find inspiration. But having that experience as a 15-year-old led Stephan Wrage, an engineer from Hamburg, Germany, to invent a supersize kite to help pull ocean freighters. His computer-controlled SkySail flies far above a ship to catch powerful winds that can't be reached by masted sails.
Harnessing wind power saves shipping companies money and helps the planet. A large freighter burns 300 tons of diesel fuel daily. In the process, it generates carbon dioxide, a gas that is partly to blame for the increase in Earth's average temperature. By tapping into wind, a ship can lower its fuel use by 10 to 35 percent and reduce its contribution to global warming.
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SAIL HEIGHTS
SkySails are designed to soar far above a ship because higher up, winds become steadily stronger and more stable. Between what heights does a SkySail fly?
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