The term “alternative energy” has been around for a long time, and surely the words “solar panels” and “wind turbines” no longer sound futuristic, but the fact of the matter is that emerging energy technologies are coming out everyday, and sometimes with a strange twist.

Here are four of the oddest and most extraordinary alternative energies to date. From kites to entire islands, the future of replacing fossil fuels is getting creative.

High Flying Wind Turbines and Kites

Source: Sky WindPower

At an altitude of 30,000 feet the wind power is 20 times greater than what it is available on the ground. That being said, manufacturers at Sky WindPower are attempting to capture this potential energy by sending up giant wind turbines high into the air that could convert it to electricity to be used back on earth. …read more of Stranger than Fiction Energies of the Future here