High Altitude Wind Power Reaches Test Stage

Tests on a 3MW generator prototype powered by a high altitude kite are taking place during January. High altitude winds are far more constant and powerful than winds close to ground level.

The kite is controlled automatically from a revolving dome (similar to the gun turret of a naval ship) that contains the generator. Once the kite reaches its maximum height (possibly 9,000 meters), tension on one side of the cable is relaxed and the kite starts to fall. At the kite’s optimum start altitude, tension is reestablished and the it begins to climb and generate power once again. Kites can fly close to each other. A farm of kites could achieve a power density of 20MW per km2 –comparable with a nuclear power plant.

“All theoretical problems have been solved, the challenge now is to confirm the data from our models,” KiteGen spokesman Marcello Corongiu told Leonardo Energy. “About 95% of the components of the machine are designed and manufactured expressly for our needs. We don’t have off-the-shelf solutions. We need to check that everything works and if there are problems we need to find alternative solutions.”

The prototype will start with four alternators each of 400kW peak power, or roughly 1MW of nominal power generation. At a later point both the alternators and cables will be upgraded to meet the needs of 3MW generation.

Endurance tests on cable wear are nearing completion. The KiteGen team believe their cables will endure for 2000 hours. Next they will start generation testing and optimisation of the Kite control system. There will be a trade off between the strongest winds and the increasing drag and cost of the cable. Wind speed increases with altitude in a non linear fashion. KiteGen has models and forecasts of high altitude winds, but little hard data. Over the next 12 months they hope to collect that data.

“The biggest development issue we still have to face is the wing,” says Marcello Corongiu. “Until now we used kites made for sports activities. They are quite slow and stable, designed to ensure people return home safely in the evening. But we don’t need those characteristics. We can handle fast kites with a more rigid wing that are a lot less stable, because the control system is able to react far more efficiently than a human might do.” Two 50m2 kites will be tested while the final 150m2 kite is developed.

“In 12 months we will be able to provide a technology that could be competitive - more than competitive - with all renewable sources of power,” says Corongiu. “We will eventually be competitive with fossil fuel generators - but not in 12 months.”

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