The Oil Drum

There are other efforts efforts, including an Italian one, Kitegen:
http://www.kitegen.com/
Check out the video on the site for the flight of the prototype.
And there is this:
http://www.briza-technologies.com/index.htm
Check out also the increase in average wind speed as you go higher, and in constancy of wind - the increase in power generated is not a linear progression, but rises as a much higher function of windspeed.
This all boils down to the fact that you transform windpower by harvesting at at altitudes above 800 meters from something which is intermittent, and doesn't happen at any strengths for a lot of the year, to one of the most concentrated and reliable sources of renewable power, which can be accessed almost anywhere.
You throw away the huge structure needed for windmills, and greatly multiply the power, both from the higher average windspeeds at altitude and from the way you can steer the kites to generate virtual wind - the computer control systems for an automated system have already been developed by Skysails, and contrary to what is written here they say that they will need no extra members of staff on board the ships, as it is a fully automated system.
Of course that is yet to prove itself in practise.
Makani is backed by Google.
This could provide ample power for an industrial lifestyle for everyone in the world, and at hugely lower cost than present generation