Wind energy company Makani Power, based in Alameda, Calif., has received $5 million in Series B financing from return investor Google, the latest investment in the search giant’s Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal initiative.

            Makani, with a small team of 24, is working towards harnessing high-altitude winds as a source of renewable energy. To accomplish this, they are currently developing giant kites that would fly miles in the sky to efficiently gather wind and convert it to electricity. The high-altitude winds would generate more than 10 times the energy from a wind turbine.

            Compared to turbines, kites would be flown amidst almost constant wind, so there would be little worry of “slow” days. However, if the wind does let up, the kites would not be able to maintain their altitude. Furthermore, the kites, being expensive, energy-gathering tools, may have to be taken down when there are storms for fear of damage.  

            Other companies to try their hands at electricity-generating kite flying include Magenn Power, Kite Gen Research, and Sky WindPower Corp.

            The company raised $10 million from Google in October 2006, and expects to raise upwards of $20 million in the current round.