This is a list of airborne wind energy or kite-energy organizations that are advancing airborne wind energy systems (AWES). In 2011 there were over 40 organizations involved worldwide,[1] but this number has increased to over 60 in 2017.[2]
Categories of kite-energy or airborne-wind-energy organizations that are forming the nascent industry: education, academic, non-profit, for-profit, communication, research, original kite-energy equipment manufacturer, kite-line manufacturer, industry-wide association, history, testing, forum entity, library, cooperative, consortium, group, club, school, training school.[3]
Generation by kite-energy systems may involve pumping, electricity generators flown in the upper flying system (flygen), electric generators situated on the land or sea or on board a vessel (groundgen), simple lifting of objects (lifting), pulling hulls or other objects (traction), or transportation; systems generate energy to do special tasks. Systems may be scaled from tiny to utility size.
Name | Location | Start year | Type | Generation | Comment | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kitemill | Voss, Norway | 2008 | Company | Groundgen | Reel in/Reel out. Bought KPS in 2020 | [4] |
WindFisher | Near Grenoble, France | 2015 | Company | Groundgen | Magnus effect energy balloon | [5] |
KiteX | Copenhagen, Denmark | 2020 | Company | Flygen | Technical University of Denmark spin-off | [6][7] |
Kitekraft | Munich, Germany | 2019 | Company | Flygen | TU Munich renewable energy spin-off | [8] |
Airborne Wind Europe | Brussels, Belgium | 2018 | Association | All types of AWES | [9] | |
Skypull SA | Lugano, Switzerland | 2017 | Company | Groundgen | developed a specifically suitable UAV | [10] |
Scuola Sant'Anna | Pisa, Italy | 2013 | Research Lab | Flygen | Investigates Dual Drone Systems | [11] |
Airborne Wind Energy Labs | Texas, USA | 2013 | Research Lab | Groundgen | Provides calculations of cost per kWh | [12] |
Altaeros Energies | Massachusetts, USA | 2010 | Research and OEM | Flygen | MIT and Harvard graduates | [13] |
AWEIA | Worldwide | 2009 | Association | All types | Nation chapters | [14] |
NTS GmbH | Germany | 2006 | Company | Groundgen | X-Wind technology by Uwe Ahrens | [15][16] |
TU Delft Wind Energy Institute | Delft, The Netherlands | 1999 | Research group | Groundgen | Wubbo Ockels ✝, Roland Schmehl | [17][18] |
GIPSA-lab | Grenoble, France | 2011 | Research group | Groundgen | Ahmad Hably | [19] |
Enerkite | Brandenburg, Germany | 2009 | Company | Groundgen | Bernhard Kämpf | [20][21] |
Energy Kite Systems | Los Angeles, California, USA | 1968 | Research, communication | All types of AWES | Acquired by Upper Windpower | [22] |
University of Freiburg | Germany | 2011 | Research group | Groundgen | Moritz Diehl. The SYSCOP Kite Power activities are within the ERC Project HIGHWIND. | [23] |
SkySails | Hamburg, Germany | 2001 | Company | Groundgen and hull traction | Stephan Wrage, Thomas Meyer | [24][25] |
Makani Power | Alameda, California, USA | 2006 | Company | Flygen | Acquired by Google | [26][27] |
KiteLab Group | Ilwaco, Washington, USA | ? | R&D | All methods | Rapid open source development of kite energy. Flight encampments. kPower. | [28] |
Kitepower Enevate BV | Delft, NL | 2016 | Company | Groundgen | Johannes Peschel, mobile 100 kW system, H2020 FTI | [29] |
Ampyx Power | The Hague, The Netherlands | 2008 | Company | GroundGen | European fund for regional development | [30] |
e-kite | The Netherlands | 2013 | Company | GroundGen | 50 kW prototype | [31] |
KiteGen | Torino, Italy | 2003 | Private Research- industrial Company | GroundGen; Carousel GW scale | 3-MW preseries; 130sqm composite wings, first mover; full patents coverage (3000 worldwide); freedom to operate; | [32][33][34][35] |
TwingTec | Switzerland | 2013 | Company | GroundGen | Using tensairity | [36][37] |
UpWind Project | Portugal | 2014 | Research Group | GroundGen | The University of Porto Airborne Wind Energy Project. Investigates multi-kite systems | [38] |
Windswept and Interesting Limited | United Kingdom | 2012 | Company | GroundGen with tensile rotary power transmission from airborne kite turbine | Using Kite Turbine and Tensile Rotary Power Transmission | [39] |
UFSCkite | Florianópolis, Brazil | 2012 | Research Lab | GroundGen | First AWE research group in Latin America | [40] |
Kites for Future | Berlin, Germany | 2020 | free-time | GroundGen | Open source | [41][42] |
Windlift | Durham, NC, USA | 2006 | Company | GroundGen | Rob Creighton, Andy Stough, Mark Aull | [43] |