‘The future generation of wind energy systems’
Kitepower is a spin-off of the Delft University of Technology developing airborne wind energy systems using high-performance kites.
Harnessing the power of the wind to generate renewable energy is traditionally done through ground-based wind turbines, both situated at land and at sea. The carbon footprint to manufacture, transport and install these large windmills with their related foundation are huge in relation to airborne wind-energy solutions
Wind between 200-450m altitude is stronger and more constant than the wind powering windmills. Kitepower develops a
power-generating kite system for this high-density source of renewable airborne wind energy. Their kites are quiet, quick to install and easy to deploy. Kitepower uses less material than ground-based turbines and takes less than an hour to set up. Their kites sweep through a large section of the sky, resulting in highly effective wind speeds. The kites are connected to the ground by means of a thin tether.
Kitepower’s first target markets are off-grid and micro-grid locations as well as disaster relief areas. People in these areas mostly rely on diesel generators, with a high dependency on costly and logistically challenging diesel supplies. Kitepower provides a more sustainable, flexible and cost-effective solution. With its logistic flexibility, Kitepower offers an excellent alternative, when conventional power supplies are damaged.
Company Profile | |
Incorporation | March 2016 |
Participation since | March 2016 |
Founders | Roland Schmehl Johannes Peschel |
Linked faculty | Aerospace Engineering |
Linked group | Kite Power Research Group |
Employees | 22 |
Website | www.kitepower.nl |
Company history and milestones | |
March 2016 | Incorporation of Enevate B.V. |
March 2016 | Kickoff REACH project |
November 2016 | Kitepower wins 200k at innovation award Dutch Defense Ministry |
February 2017 | Kitepower joins a full-time business growth program offered by YES!Delft |
December 2017 | Kitepower partakes in ‘Kickstart Sint Maarten’ |
December 2017 – January 2018 | Kitepower is part of ‘Icoon Afsluitdijk’ as developer partner of Windvogel together with Studio Roosegaarde |
February 2018 | Milestone Achieved for Innovation Project with the Dutch Ministry of Defence |
May 2018 | Kitepower joins the ‘Island Trade Mission’ |
July 2018 | On behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kitepower and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency/RVO showcase the 100kW AWES to an international delegation of sustainable energy experts |
October 2018 | Kitepower joins AWEurope |
November 2018 | Investor and entrepreneur Hendrik Hutting joins Kitepower |