Airborne Wind Energy

This book provides in-depth coverage of the latest research and development activities concerning innovative wind energy technologies intended to replace fossil fuels on an economical basis. A characteristic feature of the various conversion concepts discussed is the use of tethered flying devices to substantially reduce the material consumption per installed unit and to access wind energy at higher altitudes, where the wind is more consistent. The introductory chapter describes the emergence and economic dimension of airborne wind energy. Focusing on “Fundamentals, Modeling & Simulation”, Part I includes six contributions that describe quasi-steady as well as dynamic models and simulations of airborne wind energy systems or individual components. Shifting the spotlight to “Control, Optimization & Flight State Measurement”, Part II combines one chapter on measurement techniques with five chapters on control of kite and ground stations, and two chapters on optimization. Part III on “Concept Design & Analysis” includes three chapters that present and analyze novel harvesting concepts as well as two chapters on system component design. Part IV, which centers on “Implemented Concepts”, presents five chapters on established system concepts and one chapter about a subsystem for automatic launching and landing of kites. In closing, Part V focuses with four chapters on “Technology Deployment” related to market and financing strategies, as well as on regulation and the environment. The book builds on the success of the first volume “Airborne Wind Energy” (Springer, 2013), and offers a self-contained reference guide for researchers, scientists, professionals and students. The respective chapters were contributed by a broad variety of authors: academics, practicing engineers and inventors, all of whom are experts in their respective fields.

This reference offers an overview of the field of airborne wind energy. As the first book of its kind, it provides a consistent compilation of the fundamental theories, a compendium of current research and development activities as well as economic and regulatory aspects. In five parts, the book demonstrates the relevance of Airborne Wind Energy and the role that this emerging field of technology can play for the transition towards a renewable energy economy. Part I on "Fundamentals" contains seven general chapters explaining the principles of airborne wind energy and its different variants, of meteorology, the history of kites and financing strategies. Part II on "System Modeling, Optimization and Control" contains eight contributions that develop and use detailed dynamic models for simulation, optimization, and control of airborne wind energy systems, while Part III on "Analysis of Flexible Kite Dynamics" collects four chapters that focus on the particularly challenging simulation problems related to flexible kites. Part IV "Implemented Concepts" contains eleven contributions each of which presents developed prototypes together with real-world experimental results obtained with the different concepts. Finally, in Part V on "Component Design", five papers are collected that address in detail the technical challenges for some of the components of airborne wind energy. Airborne Wind Energy presents all basics in a single source to someone starting to explore wind power in the upper atmosphere and serves as a valuable reference for researchers, scientists, professionals and students active in the innovative field of Airborne Wind Energy.

What Is Airborne Wind Turbine An airborne wind turbine is a design concept for a wind turbine with a rotor that is supported in the air without a tower. This allows the wind turbine to take advantage of the greater wind speed and persistence at higher altitudes, while also avoiding the expense of tower construction and the requirement for slip rings or yaw mechanisms. There are two possible locations for an electrical generator: on the ground or in the air. The ability to securely hang and maintain turbines hundreds of meters from the ground in heavy winds and storms is one of the challenges faced. Other challenges include transmitting the electricity that has been gathered and/or created back to land and interfering with aviation. How You Will Benefit (I) Insights, and validations about the following topics: Chapter 1: Airborne wind turbine Chapter 2: Aircraft Chapter 3: Unpowered aircraft Chapter 4: Aerostat Chapter 5: Balloon (aeronautics) Chapter 6: Savonius wind turbine Chapter 7: Hybrid airship Chapter 8: List of energy resources Chapter 9: Allsopp Helikite Chapter 10: Airborne wind energy Chapter 11: Unconventional wind turbines Chapter 12: Tethered balloon Chapter 13: Tethered Aerostat Radar System Chapter 14: Laddermill Chapter 15: Kite types Chapter 16: Kytoon Chapter 17: Unpowered flight Chapter 18: Makani (company) Chapter 19: Aerostat (disambiguation) Chapter 20: Crosswind kite power Chapter 21: Kitepower (II) Answering the public top questions about airborne wind turbine. (III) Real world examples for the usage of airborne wind turbine in many fields. (IV) 17 appendices to explain, briefly, 266 emerging technologies in each industry to have 360-degree full understanding of airborne wind turbine' technologies. Who This Book Is For Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of airborne wind turbine.

This book shows possible solutions to how a profitable energy supply can be implemented with almost no population resistance. Worldwide, more than 80 % of our energy needs are still covered by fossil fuels. Under these circumstances, can climate change still be stopped? Essential technologies for usage of wind energy with an emphasis on high-altitude wind utilization are presented. Airborne wind energy is one of the most promising technologies to enable a renewable energy turnaround in an economical way. The main problem of conventional renewable energy is the insufficient availability. To ensure a 100 % supply of renewable energy, enormous and very expensive storage capacities would have to be built up. How we can cover our entire energy needs (electricity, mobility and heat) in the future without fossil fuels, without risking the competitiveness of our economy, is shown in this book.

As our world's population grows, so to does our need for energy. Scientists seek the next breakthrough in new technology while constantly finding ways to make current solutions cheaper and more efficient. In this title, discover what wind energy is, its history, how we use it today, and how new technologies can contribute to our energy future. Learn about cutting-edge types of wind turbines, including turbines at sea and turbines aloft in the sky, and how researchers are making wind energy more efficient. Sidebars, full-color photos, full-spread diagrams, well-placed graphs, charts, and maps, stories highlighting innovations in action, and a glossary enhance this engaging title. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Innovative Wind Turbines is a tribute to the inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and companies that through their efforts have envisioned, designed, and constructed models and prototypes for wind energy devices. There are numerous concepts and ideas on ways to convert wind energy into usable energy, and this book examines the innovative, novel, or unusual concepts with numerous photos and historical examples. Primarily, only prototypes that have been constructed are mentioned, along with a few design concepts. The wind turbines are divided by types: horizontal axis wind turbines, ducted wind turbines, vertical axis wind turbines, airborne wind turbines, and more. Features: Includes numerous photos of innovative wind turbines Presents information and examples of multiple rotor, multiple blade designs Includes information and examples of airborne wind energy systems Examines novel blade designs, including whale blades and biomimicry

While covering the fascinating history of wind power as a whole, this timely handbook focuses on current technological developments and the promise—and pitfalls—of wind energy as part of the world's energy future. The use of wind power for the generation of electricity holds vast potential for solving the world's energy problems, but numerous technical and social issues must be addressed before that potential can be realized. This handbook will both educate students about current issues related to wind energy and introduce the ways in which mankind has harnessed the wind through the ages. The book covers topics as diverse as early windmills in Europe, the United States, China, and the Middle East; the development of wind farms for electricity generation; and political factors involved in the development of wind energy today. Conventional wind turbine mechanics are explained, as are the technical improvements that drive modern wind turbines and other wind systems. What makes the handbook unique is that it combines hard science with perspective pieces that address topics such as potential environmental damage that can result from modern wind technology, and how recent developments in wind turbine technology hold the promise for considerably reducing the cost of this alternate energy source, making it competitive with conventional fossil fuels. Readers will be engaged by extensive discussion of the economic, political, and ethical issues raised by the expanding use of wind energy in the United States and elsewhere, and they will be intrigued by a look at what wind power can mean to the planet's energy future.