Alcoa, could the solution be high-altitude wind power?

Among the proposals for the company is a project by the president of KiteGen Research to cut energy costs by installing a tropospheric system

(Rinnovabili.it) – Wind could be the answer to Alcoa’s problems. Among the proposals presented for the acquisition of the Portovesme facility is the recent manifestation of interest by Massimo Ippolito, president of Kite Gen Research. The company from Piedmont, founded in 2007, develops tropospheric wind power systems in which large kites, piloted by sophisticated sensors, replace the more traditional turbines that are used to harness the power of the winds that blow constantly at high altitude.

The intention is to build a 300 MW kite power station next to the facility in order to provide power to the site, financing part of the project with the sale of green certificates. ”My sights are not set on becoming a tycoon in the world energy or aluminium sector: my proposal is open to other potential industrial partners”, commented Ippolito. “But once the energy problem has been solved, production at Alcoa will become an attractive proposition for anyone: for me, for my company, indeed for Alcoa itself, which could decide to remain in Portovesme and perhaps replicate the project in its other factories scattered around the world…if energy prices can be cut to € 33/MWh, then anything becomes possible”.