Residents of the Faroe Islands will be provided with energy with the help of high-tech "kites"

Swedish engineering firm Minesto has developed special gliders that are very similar to onboard drones, except that they are designed to capture the energy of underwater currents and use it to generate electricity on the ocean floor.

The company hopes to deploy the latest version — a massive "kite" with a wingspan of about 12 meters - to provide the Faroe Islands in the middle of the Atlantic with renewable energy.

This is quite an intriguing project. Tidal energy is an ideal option for mining in remote locations, even in the absence of sunlight and wind. The amount of energy generated by the new technology can seriously change the life of a small island state for the better.

Martin Edlund, who heads Minesto, said that each such "snake" is capable of generating 1.2 MW of energy. Over time, the complex of devices will provide electricity to half of the households in the archipelago.

So far, the country uses imported diesel fuel to cover about 50% of its energy needs.