Researchers from the National Observatory of Athens (NAA) and the Karnataka University of Technology in India have published an innovative study that attempts and evaluates electric power generation with kites, which in some cases in the future could possibly become an alternative to wind turbines.

The purpose of this solution is to reduce the cost of wind energy production, which can reach 50%, as well as its use both in remote areas and in urban areas. Among the advantages of the method is a large installation height, where the wind potential is stronger and more stable.

Significantly, researchers led by Panagiotis Kosmopoulos, authorized researcher at the Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainability (IEPBA) EAA, who made the corresponding publication in the journal “Remote Sensing”, calculated that a kite of the order of 100 -150 square meters can produce from two to three megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is equivalent to the power of a conventional wind turbine 100 meters high.

The mooring force of the kite, which is also the main power generation mechanism, was measured experimentally and machine learning models were applied to evaluate performance in both constant and turbulent wind conditions. The study involved a 12 square meter kite at a height of 24 meters in a coastal area.

It is expected that this technology in the coming years, according to researchers, will actively contribute as an additional solution to use the potential of wind in the transition of energy from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

^{Source: RES-IPE}