- Pro
The test flight took place near Yibin in southwest China’s Sichuan Province
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: People's Daily, China)
Share
Share by:
- Copy link
- X
- Threads
- 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.
You may like-
Forget Project Natick - China says it has trumped Microsoft and launched its first underwater data center
-
DJI’s terrifying new delivery drone is its most powerful one so far
-
China smashes drone display world record - nearly 16,000 drones take to the sky in incredible display
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.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.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.
You may like-
Forget Project Natick - China says it has trumped Microsoft and launched its first underwater data center
-
DJI’s terrifying new delivery drone is its most powerful one so far
-
China smashes drone display world record - nearly 16,000 drones take to the sky in incredible display
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.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
Wayne WilliamsSocial Links NavigationEditorWayne Williams is a freelancer writing news for TechRadar Pro. He has been writing about computers, technology, and the web for 30 years. In that time he wrote for most of the UK’s PC magazines, and launched, edited and published a number of them too.
Show More CommentsYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout Read more
Forget Project Natick - China says it has trumped Microsoft and launched its first underwater data center
DJI’s terrifying new delivery drone is its most powerful one so far
China smashes drone display world record - nearly 16,000 drones take to the sky in incredible display
Forget lasers and missiles, China wants to kill drones using a common tech households use everyday in kitchens all around the world — invisible microwave weapons can fry electronics but still require line-of-sight and proximity
Anker’s modular battery system can power your home for 15 days off the grid
Google's next moonshot wants to shoot AI data centers into space - orbiting Suncatcher facilities will be equipped with AI TPUs
Latest in Pro
Best n8n hosting
Forget lasers and missiles, China wants to kill drones using a common tech households use everyday in kitchens all around the world — invisible microwave weapons can fry electronics but still require line-of-sight and proximity
A 3D printed drone is probably the world's fastest DIY plane ever, quicker than even the legendary P38 Lightning — but at 408mph, it has some way to go to catch up with the 575mph TU-95
7 high-converting print-on-demand products to add to your website
5 income streams you can add to your website right now
AMD CPU users beware - this security flaw could spill all your secrets
Latest in News
Samsung Galaxy S26 leak shows no sign of the Pro or Edge models
ChatGPT ads are coming — OpenAI confirms and explains how they'll work
‘People love the unexpected’ — Disney on the Lego Star Wars Smart Play launch
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories like Apple losing to Google, and Meta giving up on VR
Some top-end SSDs are now literally worth more than their weight in gold
Channel your inner Leon S Kennedy with this slick limited edition Resident Evil Requiem watch
LATEST ARTICLES- 1I took a ride in Hyundai's new fully-autonomous robotaxi – and it’s surprisingly good at navigating the wild streets of Las Vegas
- 2No, Skyrim’s Switch 2 port isn’t that bad — but there’s room for improvement
- 3Keep your huge screens and triple cameras — I just want the iPhone 5s back
- 4New year, new upgrades – here are 5 improvements I want Spotify to make in 2026
- 5'Greenland is strategically valuable for LEO': CEO of European laser communications startup expands on why lasers complement radio networks - and highlights the critical importance of the North Pole for satellite passes