Once reached end of location, blinds open to let air through and sail pulled back to origin. During operation it pulls a cable that runs an electric generator or mechanical storage (such as a flywheel, compressed air or compressed magnets).

Benefits: Slowly moving parts, no need for special permits and no worries about birds. On building tops can catch a vast amount of wingspan with a very small imprint and small need for infrastructure investment.
-- pashute, Jul 12 2015

Venetian Turbine Venetian_20Turbine
An old idea. [Vernon, Jul 13 2015]

Sail Turbine Sail_20Turbine
Another old idea. [Vernon, Jul 13 2015]

Another even earlier (2010) idea of mine Ground Sail Electric Power
[pashute, Jul 13 2015]

Use two on opposite cycles, connected by a rope around a pulley.
-- pocmloc, Jul 13 2015



random, halfbakery