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Flash Forward

Winded

Flash Forward

Flash Forward Presents

Science

4.81.6K Ratings

🗓️ 21 July 2015

⏱️ 12 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What would happen if a company put up so many wind turbines that they actually changed the climate on Earth? I know this sounds totally crazy, but I swear to you this is something that scientists have actually looked into. So naturally, I talked to one of those scientists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello and welcome to Meanwhile in the Future is a podcast where I take you on

0:13.8

crazy field trips into the future and then transport you back to safety so you can

0:17.5

learn more about the future that I just dragged you into. Every episode we start

0:21.4

with a fun audio romp before we're treating back to safety, so let's do that now.

0:25.0

This week we're going to start in the year 2052. Construction has begun on a set of giant wind turbines on the Antarctic Peninsula, but these

0:40.2

probably aren't the kind of turbines you're imagining.

0:43.2

The company, Vaiytech, has developed wind turbines that are airborne,

0:47.3

floating in the atmosphere while they harvest energy from the wind.

0:51.0

The company plans to get their turbines off the ground next spring.

0:54.4

Véutek, the company behind Antarctica's new airborne wind turbines will launch their set of experimental

1:05.2

wind harvesters next week.

1:07.0

Representatives from Véutec have refused to disclose any details about their technology,

1:12.0

how the energy they harvest will be deployed, or how they plan to deploy the turbines, drawing suspicion from environmental groups. Last week's Vaiutek launch has sparked controversy as the company had put up far more

1:27.3

turbines than it had originally outlined. Scientists are concerned that the company will

1:31.8

extract too much wind from the atmosphere and impact

1:34.8

weather patterns.

1:36.5

So far, no clear climate impacts have been reported, but we'll be following the story as it

1:41.1

develops.

1:45.0

The IPCC has released an official statement on the Vaiotec Turbines stating that the devices are directly impacting the weather patterns of the planet.

1:54.0

The report comes after an emergency meeting called in the days following the launch of the turbines.

1:59.0

Today, Chairman Struthi Okofour said in a statement that the Commission was clear and unanimous in their

2:04.4

conclusion that the turbines were to blame for the altered climate and suggested the devices

...

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