Bill Gates is backing a wind turbine that looks less like a windmill and more like a rollercoaster. (Interesting Engineering)
At CES 2026, Airloom Energy is showcasing a system that replaces massive towers with a low-profile oval track. Instead of spinning in a circle, vertical wings glide around the rail to generate power.
By the numbers: The design uses 96% fewer unique parts, is 85% faster to deploy, and costs 47% less than traditional wind farms.
Standing just ~80 ft. tall (vs. 300+ ft. for standard turbines), these “track turbines” can be built where massive windmills can’t—near airports, on military bases, or squeezed right next to hyperscalers that are currently starving for power.