Producing Electricity with…Balloons?

October 31, 2007

The balloons are connected to the ground via two cables: one to refill helium and the other to pass the electricity to a control panel. The balloons can be connected to one another vertically three feet [one meter] apart, going up hundreds of meters into the sky. “If you want more electricity, you just have to add another balloon,” Cory tells ISRAEL21c. He estimates that most homes would need just one or two balloons to supply their entire electrical needs. Apartment buildings or office blocks could use hundreds of balloons connected to the roof to supply part of their power needs, reducing costs substantially.

“They can be used alongside regular energy sources, saving energy and reducing costs by half,” explains Cory. The balloons could be used to generate electricity in remote places that are off the electricity grids. In the jungle, they could be floated high above the tree line, or at sea, ships could use them to power onboard facilities. There are two working prototypes in operation in Haifa and in Israel’s desert. The idea is that the user can simply purchase a balloon from a shop or the Internet and install it themselves. “The balloons don’t have any negative effects on the environment,” says Cory. For more information: Joseph Cory, (972) 54-466-2084, [email protected]

Excerpts of an article by Nicky Blackburn, ISRAEL21c

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