I think you missed a point, West Lakes. Transmission of generated power could take place through a conducting tether. Also the devices could be tethered from mountainous regions so as to maximize the MSL height and therefore wind speed. A 10,000 ft. tether from the higher regions of the U.S. Rocky Mountains would result in the device being sited approximately at FL 210, assuming a tether angle of 45 degrees to the vertical.