Evaluation of the First Aairborne Wind Turbine in Germany Under Aviation Law Completed

Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Hannover, Oldenburg / Germany - The project partners SkySails Power, EnBW, EWE OSS and Leibniz Universität Hannover are successfully testing the operation of the first airborne wind energy system in Germany in Schleswig-Holstein. The pilot plant can now go into continuous operation.

The facility was constructed as part of the "SkyPower100" project sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, in which SkySails Power GmbH, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, EWE Offshore Service & Solutions GmbH and Leibniz University Hannover are involved. From the operation of the pilot unit, the consortium intends to gain insights for the further development and scaling of future airborne wind energy systems as well as on environmental influences, safety aspects and approval requirements. This includes, for example, expert reports on noise emissions, analysis of possible effects on bird life (avifauna) and investigations into air traffic safety.

Airborne wind energy systems consist of a ground station with a winch and an integrated generator. To produce energy, an automatically controlled power kite pulls a tether from the winch. The tractive force is transferred to the generator, which produces electricity. Once the tether has reached its maximum extension, the autopilot steers the kite into a neutral position. The generator now acts as a motor and retracts the tether, while consuming only a fraction of the energy generated during the work phase. The excess energy is fed into the grid, and the power cycle starts over.

The power kites used on the pilot unit have a size of up to 120 m². For the realization of the project, a Flight Restriction Area (ED-R) was established for the project location in close cooperation with the Aviation Authority of Schleswig-Holstein, the Federal Ministry of Transport, the surrounding communities, the DRF Luftrettung as well as the air sports association. The experience gained from the ED-R operation is an essential step for the future definition of approval processes of airborne wind energy systems.

Flying wind turbines use the continuous and steadier winds at altitudes of up to 800 meters. The result is a constant electricity production. In addition, the impact on the landscape for their construction is significantly less than with conventional wind turbines and the light and compact design also allows the development of areas that are difficult to access. At the same time, the slim design of the wind turbines and the associated minimal shadow casting and very low noise emissions mean that they are creating a particularly small impact on humans and animals. Flying wind turbines therefore represent a supplement to existing wind turbines and can further accelerate the development of a decentralised renewable energy supply in Germany and internationally.

Source: IWR Online, Aug 08 2020