Summary
Kitepower’s test site in Bangor Erris, County Mayo, Ireland, represents a major step in advancing airborne wind energy toward commercial deployment. Operating in an environment with excellent wind conditions and ample space, Kitepower achieved a significant performance milestone by completing 3,400 flight cycles in just 79 days, including a record of 800 cycles in a single period. With operations taking place on approximately 30% of all working days, the site has proven the reliability, robustness, and growing commercial viability of Kitepower’s technology under real-world conditions.
The Irish test site plays a central role in the DEM-AWE project, which demonstrates how airborne wind energy can power a mobile battery storage system (Kite-BESS). This pre-commercial demonstrator is designed to charge a 400 kWh battery within 10 hours, enabling clean, flexible energy supply for remote areas, islands, and sectors such as construction and agriculture. Continuous testing of both the Hawk and Falcon systems allows Kitepower to collect critical operational data, improve uptime, and refine system performance as a scalable alternative to conventional wind power.
The project is supported by the Interreg North-West Europe programme and delivered in collaboration with a strong consortium of partners, including RWE, Airborne Wind Europe, BlueWise Marine, Laminak Energy, and Mayo County Council. RWE’s extension of Kitepower’s access to the Bangor Erris site has enabled the establishment of a permanent on-site team and further research into larger-scale and offshore applications. Together, the partners are working to accelerate market readiness, engage local communities, and position airborne wind energy as a valuable contributor to Europe’s future renewable energy mix.
Andrei Luca
Head of Operations
