Kite based generators are being developed as the next iteration of renewable energy converters. One such design is based on generating power by using kites to induce movement in a vertical axis ground based generator, referred to as a kite carousel. This paper introduces a minimum-order model of such a kite and indicates the key scales and parameters that affect the performance of this kite-based generator. The model is validated using experimentally gained data. A physical model is used to determine the aerodynamic coefficients of a high performance kite. The resulting numerical model shows a potential power delivery of 360 W, with substantial room for improving yield.