Tag: kitegen

Kitegen comes back to fly

February 22, 2012 / / 2 Comments

[slideshow]

I’m very happy to read (link in Italian) that Kitegen has started the automatic testing for take off and landing at Sommariva site.

I just report the main points written in the post which I think they are interesting, without going into a full english translation:

  • first of all, they have managed to perform a take off with only 1.5 m/s wind speed at the ground, which is remarkable given the fact this wind speed is very small. Considering that the wind speed in Europe is around 3 m/s this is a great achievement.
  • the next step they are planning is to test how long the kite can fly without interruption, to achieve 5000 hours of continuous flight 5000 hours per year. H/T Stefano

All in all, it seems the control software is getting ready for the field, and I can’t wait to see the development during spring and summer!

Goodies: Link to the video!

Massive investment on clean tech from Google

August 21, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Google has made a deal to buy energy at fixed price from a massive wind farm for 20 years.

This is one of the several action which the company is taking to make its own plan, called RE<C, happening. The goal of this plan is to make Renewable Energy cheaper than Coal. According to them, to reach this, they are moving in three different area:

effective policy, innovative technology and smart capital

They are backing up innovative technology, financing really interesting and promising startup which area trying to exploit non conventional energy, like this one for Enhanced Geotermical Power.

They also invested a gazillions (roughly) of money in the Makani start-up, which is developing system to gather energy from tropospheric wind. The company seems to be developing a prototype able to produce 10 KW from high altitude wind.

Tropospheric wind is the same energy source which kitegen KGR is trying to exploit, which, however, is in a more advanced state, given the fact there are building two industrial installations right now in Nothern West of Italy, able to deliver 3 MW (which is 3000 KW). And that is only the beginning and bigger project of massive scale are already planned.

Maybe google should give a second look and throw some money also on the kitegen project?

Come scusa?

April 10, 2010 / / 5 Comments

Sembra che il progetto del kitegen, che è in costruzione vicino a Chieri sia stato bloccato con un ordinanza dal sindaco.

Non è chiaro il perchè:

«Gli addetti della Sequoia Automation di Chieri hanno aperto un sentiero che non era stato previsto nel progetto originario – spiega il sindaco – O meglio: sui disegni quel percorso appare, però, stando alle carte, è già esistente e pertanto non sono stati richiesti permessi per aprirlo».

?!?

dubbi.

Vola l’aquilone vola

July 6, 2009 / / 2 Comments

L’energia eolica sarà uno delle fonti energetiche del futuro. Molto promettente è il vento di alta quota ed il grandissimo lavoro che quelli della kitegen stanno facendo.

Date un occhio al video del prototipo

ed ora la classica domanda: è competitiva?
Dalla FAQ

Quanto costa l’energia prodotta da una centrale Kite Gen?
L’energia prodotta da una centrale da 100 MW è stimata avere un costo totale di produzione inferiore a 0,03 € per kWh, più basso di quello oggi ottenibile tramite i combustibili fossili. Costi ancora migliori sono attesi da centrali di maggiore dimensioni e potenza.

Una descrizione più ampia che prende in considerazione alcuni limits della tecnologia la trovate qui.