Project description
More power from higher altitudes
Wind is a strategic industrial sector in delivering the European Green Deal. However, today’s electricity from wind turbines is volatile and fully available only at stronger winds. The EU-funded AWESOME project has the potential to fast-forward technology progress to boost wind energy. It is developing technology to generate dispatchable green electricity on-site of demand by harnessing wind at higher altitudes where it blows stronger and more persistently. The project’s future product portfolio of Airborne Wind Energy Systems will harness the powerful winds high above the blade tips of today’s wind turbines. This will double the output but cut cost by half, shrinking the gap between generation and demand. Also, portable units can power remote areas.
Objective
The world’s energy market, with an annual turnover of more than € 10 trillion, is in transition. Today’s renewables can replace 20-40% of fossil sources, however, their volatile energy output cause problems with grid stability and matching supply and demand. As a result, additional expenditure in the order of billions of € are required to expand the grid and adding storage solutions. EnerKíte offers a solution – tapping into an as of yet unused and stable energy source, providing twice the yield at half the cost to traditional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT). EnerKítes - a future product portfolio of Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) Systems will harness the powerful and steady winds high above the blade tips of today’s wind turbines. Proprietary control software and machine design will make EnerKítes autonomous and robust and matching renewable energy demands even during lull and at night.
EnerKíte is a Berlin-based venture led by pioneers in the wind and kite industry. It has developed a 30 kW working prototype that has provided the longest autonomous operation (72 hrs+) of any AWE player in the world. The SME Phase 2 project focuses on optimizing and validating the EK200, a 100 kW unit, as the commercial market entry model. Working closely with the utility company ENGIE, we will ensure that the technology is matured while anchoring the commercialization journey.
Our entry strategy is to provide green energy directly where there is demand. We will address the renewable mini-grid market with a volume of €bn 7.2 p.a. - sufficient for a proper business case itself. We will deploy rural wind-storage charging stations to boost the €bn 40 by 2025 eMobility market, growing with a CAGR of 47.9%. EnerKíte’s value chain is centred around certifiable designs, IP and know-how. The need for scalable manufacturing skillsets prompts dialogues with Voith (DE), Siemens (DE) and Vestas (DK). The innovation effort provides a €m 50.9 business opportunity already for 2021-2026.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
14532 Kleinmachnow
Germany
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.