[NormsRevenge]

No joyriding!

[NormsRevenge]

There’s a lot of money flying around in the unharnessed wind market or so I hear.. including some of yours.. ;-]

[Jack Hydrazine]

“resulting in twice the energy production of a traditional, pole-mounted turbine.”

Would adding a pole dancer make it more competitive?

[Paladin2]

"..it can be used to power remote villages, military outposts, or anywhere that would normally have to depend on polluting diesel generators..."

Except when the wind isn't blowing.

[mylife]

I don’t know what the cost of this system would be, but it does make some sense in that the blimp could be raised or lowered into wind streams.
Terra fixed turbines are at the mercy of wind conditions on the ground.

[palmer]

Wind is never a problem with one of these since it can be attached to a truck and pulled around.

[mylife]

Some of the operating costs could be offset with advertising ☺

[NonValueAdded]

"So there I was, sitting out by the pool watching the kids swim, when this shadow approached. Soon I could see it, this huge blimp-like thing trailing two black cables that were dragging on the ground. Sparks flew from where ever they touched. I screamed for the kids to get out of the pool but it was too late. There was a huge flash and then a stark silence. I will remember it as long as I live."

The plot of a bad horror flick? Perhaps, but I hope the team working on the fail-safe design have such an imagination.

[upchuck]

Altaeros Energies says that while the power its blimp provides costs more than getting it from the grid, it's actually more affordable than from generators that require a constant supply of gasoline, not to mention greener.

Assuming, of course, the wind is blowing. And therein lies the number one problem with wind turbines: there's no easy, cost effective, way to store the output. Solar panels have the same problem at night.

Personally I think all this "green" alternative power stuff is sorta cool. Just don't use my tax dollars to fund it.

[Clay Moore]

Wind power, the clean energy!

[RedMonqey]

I can envison one of these things break loose in high winds, continuing to generate electricity as it loses altitude and discharge its’ load on whatever(or whoever)unfortunate enough to come into contact with it’s dragging cable line.

An mobile electric chair, if you may.

[hattend]

Massachusetts?

So, the people who think a wind turbine way out offshore is an eyesore will not mind a flock of these blimps hanging over their heads?

Right...sure...uh huh.

[Secret Agent Man]

They’ll blow up twice as often...

Seriously when the brakes fail and the generators overheat and explode they sure will allow a lot of people to experience a Hindenburg moment.

Lets not forget they will be real efficient at slicing up flying birds up there too. Falling dead birds from 1000 feet ruining roofs and windshields and possibly hitting people. Yup, no problems here.

Or when a tornado comes to town...