Infinite Winds: An Introduction to Wind Turbine Energy
 
Fred Ferguson, a Canadian engineer specializing in airships, thinks the answer to climate change lies in the wind, literally. He's designed a turbine that will use the constant winds that exist at 1,000 feet above sea level to produce energy. The the M.A.R.S. (Magenn Air Rotor System) Floating Wind Generator — essentially a turbine attached to a blimp-like structure - will ultimately be deployed in Mexico.

Test 1: Dominican Republic — Airspeed
In this test, Dr. Singer will launch himself into the air on a paramotor (a propeller-powered parachute) where he'll deploy a GPS device  to collect wind speeds at different altitudes. These measurements will be fed into further wind tunnel tests and will dictate the final build design and the flight height of the generator.

The team chose to fly with a paramotor because they could obtain accurate readings without disturbing the air around the vehicle. Other options might have included a helicopter or paraglider, but a helicopter's rotor would contaminate the readings and paragliders are subject to convection currents, making flying height difficult to control and predict.

Test 2: Kentucky – Tether
This experiment will test a balloon tether for strength using a crank. The tether will be attached to a crane at one end and a long string of scrap cars on the other. It will slowly lift the cars off the ground one by one. The tether will conduct electricity as it lifts, lighting the car headlights. The tether must be able to hold five cars off the ground with lights on in order to prove it can withstand the equivalent force of the balloon.

Test 3: Virginia – Wind Tunnel
In this test, the team will explain the concepts of Magnus Effect, torque, drag and lift using a wind tunnel and smoke on a model, which will be held by one of the scientists inside the tunnel.

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