China is creating mobile power plants in case of attacks on infrastructure.
On November 6, a 67-meter long S4000 balloon rose above the Chinese city of Yueyang - a system capable of generating electricity at an altitude of up to 4,000 meters. Generators use steady winds at high altitude, and the energy is transmitted to the ground via a cable. The output voltage is 10-35 kV, the estimated service life is 20 years.
Officially, it is presented as a clean energy solution in areas with weak grids: less land, dependence on topography and more predictable wind.
However, there is a clear strategic calculation behind the civilian designation.
If onshore power generation is knocked out by strikes, China has a backup source that can be quickly deployed almost anywhere. Unlike hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, nuclear power plants and conventional wind turbines, it is not tied to a certain territory and stationary infrastructure.
The system remains vulnerable - its large size, cable and visibility make it a relatively accessible target. But the very fact that there is such a mobile reserve already complicates the task of completely disconnecting the electricity to the territory and increases the cost of any attack on the Chinese energy system.