Are we the only ones who can’t think of blimps without thinking of Blimpie’s sub sandwiches? (We also have a hard time thinking about submarines without getting hungry.) If so, we’re sorry to make your mouth water, but Massachusetts company Altaeros has cooked up the Buoyant Airborne Turbine (BAT), a scrumptious, 60-foot blimp that can float 1,000 feet high. Instead of delicious smoked turkey and provolone, its tasty filling is a wind turbine.
Once airborne and tousled by the wind — which blows two to three times stronger up there — the BAT sends power down to earth through wires.
It’s ideal for remote areas that aren’t fit for solar or traditional wind turbines, like parts of Alaska with thinning permafrost. In fact, the BAT is planning to launch a pilot project in Alaska, powering about 12 homes. Fast Company adds pricing details:
Altaeros says the BAT will deliver power at about 18 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is more than most of the country, but still below what some Alaskan communities currently pay.
Now all we have to do is get the blimp to deliver lunch too.
