As a natural successor to the MegaAWE project, DEM-AWE enabled critical testing and refinement of Kitepower’s first product, the K-BESS (Kite-Battery Energy Storage System), pushing the system closer to commercial readiness.
The project’s testing campaign was conducted at the RWE Airborne Wind Energy dedicated test site in Bangor Erris, County Mayo, Ireland, and proved to be a pivotal phase in validating the system under challenging conditions. The demanding environment on the West Coast of Ireland allowed the team to test system resilience, control algorithms, and operational procedures. These trials contributed directly to improving the robustness and reliability of the solution, which was designed for mobile, and off-grid deployment.
Earlier this year, Kitepower integrated an external battery system from Greener Power Solutions, a key technology partner. This implementation and initial testing were conducted in Bangor Erris as part of the system’s testing phase before deployment at Kitepower’s commercial site.
Following validation, the complete system was deployed during a pilot project in the Netherlands with construction company Dura Vermeer, where it was tested to power electric excavators and trucks, showcasing how Airborne Wind Energy can contribute directly to sustainable, large-scale construction operations such as a riverbank renovation.
The DEM-AWE project (funded by Interreg North-West Europe) was made possible by a dedicated consortium of partners:
As DEM-AWE concludes, Kitepower is turning its focus to new opportunities, particularly in supporting EU island communities in their efforts to decarbonize. The knowledge and experience gained through DEM-AWE will now be applied to demonstrate how Kitepower’s mobile AWE systems can offer reliable, clean, and locally generated energy for remote and isolated grids.
