Kitepower

Kitepower is a leading start-up in airborne wind energy, developing innovative and cost-effective alternatives to existing wind turbines by using kites to generate electricity. Its patented technology is a game-changer in the wind energy sector; it uses 90% less material while being twice as efficient than existing technology. Unlike conventional wind turbines, the Kitepower system does not require resource-intensive towers or heavy foundations and is thus easy to transport and deploy. The system is able to harness stronger and more persistent winds at higher altitudes, allowing for capacity factors greater than 0.5 and in return cost-effective electricity generation, this opens up new geographical markets for the generation of wind energy. The 100kW system currently in development is ideally suited to replace diesel generator sets in remote locations to save costs and mitigate dependency on diesel supply. Kitepower was founded by Johannes Peschel and Roland Schmehl in January 2016 as a result of the work done by TU Delft’s pioneering kite power research group of the former astronaut Wubbo Ockels. Already in 2007, the first 20kW Kitepower system demonstrated the proof of concept. The 100kW system Kitepower is currently developing will be one of the first airborne wind energy systems available on the market. Kitepower is a growing team of TU Delft researchers and strong industry partners with a collective vision to reinvent wind energy.

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