German energy company RWE has started testing new airborne wind technology for the first time in Ireland as it marked the maiden flight of a new kite technology in Bangor Erris, Co Mayo.
Airborne wind energy is a new type of wind energy technology that RWE is testing in Ireland in collaboration with its technology partner, Dutch firm Kitepower.
It is also working with its local partners in Mayo County Council and the MegaAwe Project.
The project has also received funding from Interreg North West Europe.
The Co Mayo site was chosen after an extensive global search for a suitable location to develop this technology.
The site received planning permission earlier this year to allow the Kitepower device to fly.
Kitepower uses a large kite structure with a hybrid inflatable and fixed fibreglass skeleton to hold the kite open. It has a wingspan of 60 square metres and weighs only 80kg, including the kite control and sensor unit.
RWE said the Bangor Erris test is the first time that this type of airborne wind technology has been tested anywhere in Europe.
The technology generates electricity by flying a kite at heights of at least 350 metres. As the kite gains altitude, it pulls a winch, which is connected to a built-in generator.
The system uses a kite control unit attached to the tether, to control the direction that the kite flies.
Electricity is produced in the 'reel out' phase, when the kite is flown in a cross-wind figure of eight pattern to generate a high pulling force which pulls out the tether from the winch in the ground station. During this phase, the Kitepower's Falcon kite produces electricity.
When the tether reaches its maximum, the kite is directed back to just above the ground station by the kite control unit and the tether is reeled in using a small amount of energy.
When this "reel in" phase is complete, the reel out phase begins again. Normally, these two processes take just 100 seconds - 80 seconds for reel out and 20 seconds for reel in.
Cathal Hennessy, Head of Onshore Renewables Development (Wind, Solar and Storage) UK & Ireland, said that RWE is helping to develop this new wind energy technology with its partner Kitepower.
"RWE is exploring many different industry innovations to see if airborne wind technology could complement our existing renewables portfolio of offshore and onshore wind, solar energy and battery storage," Mr Hennessy said.
"With low capital expenditure and fewer materials, airborne wind has the potential to play a role in helping to drive down the cost of energy further. It will use winds at higher altitudes, which are stronger, steadier, and more constant. It can be used onshore as well as offshore and in combination with other technologies such as solar electricity generation," he added.
Johannes Peschel, CEO Kitepower, said that the dedicated test hub in Bangor Erris is the first of its kind and will help the company further accelerate the development of its system.
He said the kite will initially be flown at up to 350 metres altitude and over the coming months could be tested to fly at greater heights.
"We are extremely proud that we have been able to contribute to the realisation of this test hub and are committed to adding this new class of renewables to our global energy mix in the near future," he added.
