Today, Kitepower, a Dutch start-up that generates wind energy with kites, introduced the Kitepower Hawk. The Hawk system integrates battery energy storage with an Airborne Wind Energy System (AWE). With the introduction of the Hawk, Kitepower offers a sustainable alternative to diesel generators and enables far-reaching electrification for construction sites, agriculture and horticulture, and small island communities.
- Kitepower is launching the Hawk system that combines kite flying with battery storage for renewable energy;
- The Hawk is a mobile, renewable energy source that does not rely on the power grid.
Kitepower’s solutions replace diesel generators with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that can be recharged by a highly automated kite. The Hawk kite generates 30 kW of energy and stores it directly in a 400 kWh battery. This makes renewable energy mobile and accessible to agricultural, construction, and island communities. The Hawk is unique as a mobile renewable energy source that can be used completely independent of the power grid.
Step forward
“The Kitepower Hawk is an important step forward for Kitepower,” said CEO Johannes Peschel. “The system is a perfect solution for individuals and smaller companies looking for a sustainable way to generate electricity. The system is easy to install, can be used day and night, and is highly efficient.”
The HAWK system was developed based on demand from customers and partners who need a relatively small system that can be flown a few times a week to meet energy needs during the week. Battery energy storage systems are being deployed in more and more places to support the electrification of vehicle and machinery fleets. However, these batteries are often still combined with diesel generators or transported off-site to be recharged with “gray” electricity. Hawk charges the battery on-site with renewable energy. This allows construction companies to charge their electric vehicles with locally generated renewable energy. Energy generation occurs several times a week, such as at times when there is no other activity, such as at night. The kite is then flown at an altitude of about 350 meters.
Kitepower
Kitepower is a leading start-up in the field of Airborne Wind Energy (AWE), developing innovative and cost-effective alternatives to existing wind turbines. Kitepower’s patented technology is groundbreaking in the wind energy industry: it uses up to ninety percent less material with the potential to be twice as efficient as conventional wind turbines with the same power output. Unlike conventional wind turbines, Kitepower systems do not require resource-consuming towers or heavy foundations and are therefore highly mobile and easy to install.
The system can harness strong and persistent winds at higher altitudes, with capacity factors of more than 0.5, and thus cost-effective electricity generation. The company was founded in 2016 by Johannes Peschel and Roland Schmehl as a spin-off of the airborne wind energy research group at Delft University of Technology. The team works with the Dutch Ministry of Defense, the United Nations World Food Program, and leading energy supplier RWE Renewables, among others.
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