Metrics or equations? Power curves or simulations?

[PierreB]

@dougselsam

I saw this in the article:
“The current model, Falcon, features a kite measuring four by fifteen meters and is capable of generating 100kW per year, enough to power 150 households. The system is too expensive”…
There go the “journalists” again:

1. There is no such thing as “kW per year”. They always have to add “per year” - I guess they didn’t go to college - er um I mean high school.
2. No 150 kW will NOT power 150 homes - unless everyone is on vacation and nobody is home. More like 15 homes. But don’t they all have to say “power X hundred homes in Location Y by Date Z”?

Here the journalist takes the information from the Falcon page already linked above: 100 kW, 150 households supplied. On the other hand the website provides also the value of 450 MWh (not the incorrect “100 kW per year”), which allows a high capacity factor to be expected.

But useful metrics should lead to real power curves, not only the manufacturer’s information.