Kites As An Energy Source?

Engineer-Poet post on the Ergoshere site make an interesting suggestion for supplying part of the need of ships in fuel.

Flying well above the waves, these kites can capture more power than even the highest topsail of a clipper ship. With favorable winds, even large cargo ships can see substantial fuel savings, greater speeds or both.

this is certainly an interesting thought.

Justin brings more information on the issue.

One of the big advantages of kites over conventional rigs, rotating cylinders, and wind turbines is the relative freedom from heeling moment. This will allow us to attach kites to most commercial ships without significant modifications. Another advantage is dynamic sheeting, or the ability to fly patterns in the sky to maintain relative winds at the kite that are several times stronger than the wind on the deck.

It is certainly an environmentally friendly way to save energy and utilize the power of the wind at sea.