Airborne Wind Energy

Abstract

This section briefly describes the way in which this report addresses the congressional request regarding focus and scope, the consideration of AWE in relation to traditional wind energy, and the approach taken to develop the report. Addressing the Congressional Request: Focus and ScopeThis report describes technical analyses of various aspects of AWE provided to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office to underpin DOE's response to the congressional request for a report on AWE in the Energy Act of 2020, which states:-Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the potential for, and technical viability of, airborne wind energy systems to provide a significant source of energy in the United States.

An Aero-Structural Model for Ram-Air Kite Simulations

“…While most countries are forced to adapt their production accordingly, the demand for renewable energy also opens the field for alternative wind energy technologies. Airborne wind energy (AWE) is such an alternative approach that is aimed at harvesting wind from higher altitudes using tethered flying devices [2]. Next to the potential of accessing an additional source of renewable energy, a key motivating factor is the substantially lower material footprint of the technology.…”