AWES Could Potentially Halve Offshore Wind LCOE
UK-based Kite Power Solutions (KPS) is one of a handful of developers of airborne wind 
energy systems (AWES) who are pushing forward a technology to challenge the conventional horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) in the utility-scale offshore market. Floating offshore AWES could potentially halve offshore wind levelised cost of energy (LCOE) compared with HAWTs. In this article, David Ainsworth of KPS explains the challenges in bringing this novel technology to market in the next ten years.
By David Ainsworth, Business Development Director, Kite Power Solutions, UK
Wind is one of the best resources available to combat climate change, but only contributes 1% to world energy needs. Offshore wind is only deployed commercially in Europe and China, with USA and Japanese projects on the horizon. Is this because we cannot afford offshore wind in its current form?
