I could agree. The largest wind turbines are about 150 m in diameter with a 100-120 m tower. So, to be competitive, AWES would have to be 1 km in diameter with tethers of 1 km-2 km long.
Once a possible model is identified, it should be quite possible to produce it in small dimensions and to evolve it little by little if necessary, and according to the possible intermediate markets if they exist.
In the conquest of space, we tried to identify the devices needed to escape the earth’s gravity, then we tried to venture into space. They didn’t necessarily build a small rocket to go up to 10 m, then a slightly larger one to go to 100 m, etc.
I think the same is true of AWES. Originally designed to go and find the most powerful and regular winds at high altitude, we have not yet found a flying machine that would allow us to capture a surface area of wind proportional to the volume invested in space, so a huge flying machine. This is where research should focus.