EIfI-Tech

Airborne wind energy (AWE) has been the subject of research at many institutions globally for decades, yet relatively few AWE systems have ever been built and flown at a scale that is relevant to commercial energy production. Developing new renewable energy technologies at a level which competes with other modern energy production systems on scale, reliability, cost, and time-to-market would be an immense challenge for any company. To lower the barriers to the development of competitive utility scale (MW+) airborne wind energy systems, the MegaAWE program was established, with the goal of building an ecosystem in Northwest Europe where airborne wind development can thrive. Under the MegaAWE programme Mozaero recently completed the first flights of the AP3 airborne wind energy system. With a 12 m wingspan and 600 kW peak power production capacity, the AP3 is the largest rigid wing AWE system currently flying in the world as well as one of the largest privately built autonomous aircraft ever flown in Europe. In this brief 75-minute international Mozaero will describe the development of AP3 under MegaAWE, as well as the progress made by former Ampyx Power toward utility scale airborne wind energy technologies. Development challenges and achievements will be shared in the context of an increasingly competitive renewable energy market, yielding important insights for developers, investors, policy makers, and other stakeholders interested in this emerging sector. Join us and gain insights into the development process of AP3, which stands as the world's largest rigid wing AWE (Airborne Wind Energy) system currently in operation. Delve into the ways in which evolving regulations, emerging technologies, and increasing competition are shaping the future direction of the airborne wind energy sector.