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(CTL Tástáil Teo, Galway, Ireland) recently held a successful webinar where project partners discussed their research in airborne wind energy (AWE) systems. This project, “Hibernian Airborne Wind energy Kites” or HAWK for short, was funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

The event, hosted by Engineers Ireland, featured insights from the project’s partners: CTL, Airborne Wind Energy, Zero Nexus and the University of Galway. The webinar provided an in-depth overview of the project’s objectives, technology, material testing and certification challenges, as well as the potential for AWE systems to transform the wind energy landscape.

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AWE uses kites or drones that are tethered to the ground to generate electricity. There is a diverse set of challenges facing the adoption of AWE technology, including materials, product safety/regulation, technology feasibility and developing effective supply chains.

This project addressed those challenges, with the main objectives as follows:

• To test materials and create an open-source database
• To conduct techno-economic cost modeling of the airframe
• To map the supply chain requirements for airframe manufacturing
• To assess wing durability and maintenance schedules
•  To produce a certification roadmap.

This activity will strengthen Ireland’s reputation in the AWE space and is expected to encourage increased international collaboration.

During the presentation, speakers discussed topics around Integrating AWE into IEC 61400, creating a novel composite material database for fixed-wing airborne wind energy kite, durability assessment of the wing structure in an AWE system and their paths to certification.

CTL reports the following key insights from the webinar:

• AWE taps into high-altitude wind resources, enhancing energy generation potential compared to traditional turbines. This enables greater efficiency and reduced land use.
• The HAWK project has successfully developed a composite material database, promoting innovation in material science for more efficient and sustainable AWE systems.
• Sustainability is at the forefront of material selection, with a focus on recyclability and reduced environmental impact in the lifecycle of AWE systems.
• FEA models were presented which analyzed the structural durability of the main wing of a fixed-wing AWE kite.
• Certification processes for AWE systems are complex, requiring a balance between aviation safety and wind energy standards, highlighting the need for tailored regulatory frameworks.
• Standardization efforts are crucial for the AWE sector, as existing wind turbine standards may not fully apply to airborne systems, necessitating new guidelines for safety and performance.

The HAWK project was a collaboration between academic institutions and industry leaders. As AWE continues to evolve, the project’s research will be instrumental in creating new pathways to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. .