the tethered wind turbine uses an aerodynamic , flow - concentrating shape and lighter - than - air construction utilizing a lifting gas and an electrically conductive tether fixed to ground to reap energy from the wind at low or high altitude . the design has no need for the large , expensive , bulky and unsightly tower structures , pivoting nacelles , or gearboxes presently used in conventional horizontal axis windmills . the tethered wind turbine of this invention easily and passively floats aloft downwind to a direction and position that is aligned with the wind . the invention uses sensors and control modules to fly gracefully at an optimal altitude in most wind regimes and also to ascend / descend when appropriate to seek shelter from extreme weather conditions . ideally , the tethered wind turbine of this invention would utilize carbon nanotube materials in its tether for both structural and conductive purposes . the ring - wing section profile in the preferred embodiment of this invention optimally would have a very low coefficient of drag . a major benefit of this invention is potentially much lower cost per installed kilowatt capacity and a lower operating cost per kilowatt hour delivered to the end user .