HYB25-13
Innovations in the development of high-altitude wind energy systems from SkySails
02 HYB25-13
Presented by: Philip Knipper
SkySails Power, Germany
Airborne Wind Energy Accelerates the Global Energy TRANSITION
High-altitude wind is an enormous pool of energy that has long remained unused. Because all concepts to harness it involve a flying device attached to the ground on a line, the power it delivers is called airborne wind energy (AWE). Simple physics can explain why it is so promising: Whereas surface friction reduces wind speeds closer to the ground, the air can move uninhibited at higher altitudes. Depending on the location and time of day, speeds can be twice or even three times faster. The effect this has on generating electricity is increased because the wind’s force calculates as the cube of its velocity. When the wind speed doubles, the power increases by 2³ = 8, when it triples, its force increases by 33 = 27 times! This characteristic and additional advantages are what make airborne wind energy so vital in fulfilling the global energy transition.
A Reliable Alternative to Conventional Energy Production
Airborne wind energy systems (AWES) tap into the wind’s resources at altitudes of up to 400 meters. Uninhibited by surface friction, the wind at these heights is far more reliable than wind closer to the ground. Because of this, AWES can even deliver good yields in places that are usually considered low-wind sites. For the first time, a renewable power source is a viable alternative to conventional energy production. It can even keep up with brown coal for supplying baseload power. SkySails Power’s AWES also are a reliable and economical alternative to conventional renewables such as wind turbines or solar installations and can even replace diesel generators.
Renewable Energy that’s Available Everywhere
Thanks to their simple transportation and installation requirements, you can install our power kites everywhere. Remote islands, mountainous regions, deep-sea offshore sites, and other inaccessible places are no longer without an alternative to conventional energy production. Our AWES can even be operated in hurricane and typhoon regions since they are easily retrieved and safely stowed away before a natural disaster.
High-altitude wind is an enormous pool of energy that has long remained unused. Because all concepts to harness it involve a flying device attached to the ground on a line, the power it delivers is called airborne wind energy (AWE). Simple physics can explain why it is so promising: Whereas surface friction reduces wind speeds closer to the ground, the air can move uninhibited at higher altitudes. Depending on the location and time of day, speeds can be twice or even three times faster. The effect this has on generating electricity is increased because the wind’s force calculates as the cube of its velocity. When the wind speed doubles, the power increases by 2³ = 8, when it triples, its force increases by 33 = 27 times! This characteristic and additional advantages are what make airborne wind energy so vital in fulfilling the global energy transition.
A Reliable Alternative to Conventional Energy Production
Airborne wind energy systems (AWES) tap into the wind’s resources at altitudes of up to 400 meters. Uninhibited by surface friction, the wind at these heights is far more reliable than wind closer to the ground. Because of this, AWES can even deliver good yields in places that are usually considered low-wind sites. For the first time, a renewable power source is a viable alternative to conventional energy production. It can even keep up with brown coal for supplying baseload power. SkySails Power’s AWES also are a reliable and economical alternative to conventional renewables such as wind turbines or solar installations and can even replace diesel generators.
Renewable Energy that’s Available Everywhere
Thanks to their simple transportation and installation requirements, you can install our power kites everywhere. Remote islands, mountainous regions, deep-sea offshore sites, and other inaccessible places are no longer without an alternative to conventional energy production. Our AWES can even be operated in hurricane and typhoon regions since they are easily retrieved and safely stowed away before a natural disaster.