ground is small and if guide rails 63 and 72 are elevated the ground under the large array is undisturbed during operation and maintenance over time with proven safety and reliability large platforms could become very large as the only additional impact on the ground with large platform growth is winches and hv distribution the impact of hv distribution on the ground can be reduced by using the tethers as support u201c towers u201d from which hv cables can be suspended high above the ground perhaps at several hundred meters altitude the distance between tethers is similar to the distance between hv towers in current art hv power distribution so cables and equipment could easily be adapted with low leakage gas bags and highly reliable and redundant photovoltaic panels and electrical systems it is likely that platforms will stay aloft for years before maintenance or repair is required when necessary the method and apparatus shown in fig6 a 7b 7c and 7d allows small platforms to be winched down and repaired or replaced when it is operationally convenient each small platform in the large platform can have its own tether this as well as allowing for maintenance and repair provides tether redundancy and ensures that mechanical loads on the platforms are evenly distributed this in turn reinforces the modular structural design as mechanical loads are constant or reduce as the large platforms grow as shown in fig8 fig9 a fig9 b and fig1 each small platform 62 in a large platform can implement gravity energy storage in operation energy is.