Renewable Airborne Wind Energy – Norway - EIC

Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) is a technology with the potential to revolutionize the global renewable energy landscape, offering a more feasible path towards achieving net-zero emissions compared to conventional renewable energy technologies, and specifically wind energy technologies, that face significant limitations. These limitations include i) the rapid increase in costs of large new wind power projects due to rising cost on steel and labor; ii) resistance towards wind power projects amongst the public in many regions; iii) instability of winds at the altitudes, that can be reached with current wind turbines. AWE harnesses energy from winds at altitudes ranging from 300 to 1,500 meters, where wind speeds are significantly higher and more stable than those at the surface. This provides a reliable and stable energy source, reducing the need for energy system balancing and storage measures. The RAWEN project represents a crucial step towards harnessing the immense potential of AWE technology, which promises to provide a more cost-effective and reliable source of renewable energy while significantly reducing the environmental impact and land requirements of renewables. Kitemill is a recognized leading player within Airborne Wind Energy globally and is currently developing its first commercial model KM2 (100 kW), which will be tested and demonstrated in the RAWEN project. EIC funding will allow Kitemill to finalize the development of KML2 and demonstrate the solution at a pilot site, thus accelerating its market launch and deployment.