Harvesting airborne wind energy using rigid kites.

Project Information

NextWind

Grant agreement ID: 774974

DOI 10.3030/774974

Project closed

EC signature date 12 May 2017

Start date 1 June 2017

End date 30 November 2017

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost € 71 429,00

EU contribution € 50 000,00

Coordinated by

KITEMILL AS
Norway

Objective

Airborne wind energy (AWE) is a renewable energy source with a huge potential, but remains yet to be harnessed at a commercial scale. Commercialization of AWE will contribute in reaching the committed share of 27% renewables in Europe by 2030.

The wind energy is stronger and more steady at higher altitudes, which means that AWE can be installed in locations where wind turbines are not viable. AWE can also be used in locations where conventional wind turbines have a negative impact on the visual environment. Contrary to conventional wind turbines, kite turbines have a very small footprint on the ground and are hardly visible up in the air. A complete construction of a kite turbine requires only 10% the mass of a conventional wind turbine and yearly operational hours can double due to high altitude operation.

The Norwegian based AWE producer, Kitemill has demonstrated autonomous operation of their 30-kW kite turbine in operational environment at their test site.

Their unique features for succeeding in commercialization of kite turbines:
• The first airborne wind energy supplier to feature vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) solution. The advantage with a VTOL system is a minimized landing platform since it only need to be as wide as the wingspan of the kite.
• Customer secured for a demo park consisting of five 30-kW kite turbines.
• The first company to have obtained permanent operating license in designated areas issued by National Aviation Authorities.
• Commercialization strategy will start with the 30-kW kite turbine to obtain a high number of operational hours at a smaller scale, which will reduce risk for the customers when introducing a new energy technology.
Full scale levelized cost of energy is calculated to 2,8 c€/kWh, which is much cheaper than current wind turbines.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering › electronic engineering › control systems
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › renewable energy › wind power

Programme(s)

• H2020-EU.3.3. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy Main Programme
• H2020-EU.2.1.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
• H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument

Topic(s)

• SMEInst-09-2016-2017 - Stimulating the innovation potential of SMEs for a low carbon and efficient energy system

Call for proposal

H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017

See other projects for this call

Sub call

H2020-SMEINST-1-2016-2017

Funding Scheme

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

Coordinator

KITEMILL AS

• Net EU contribution: € 50 000,00
• Address: EVANGERVEGEN 3 ; 5704 Voss ; Norway
• SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes:
  Region
  Norge › Vestlandet › Vestland
• Region: Norge › Vestlandet › Vestland
• Activity type: Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
• Total cost: € 71 429,00