Kitepower

🔌 Wat als jouw bedrijfsvoering niet afhankelijk is van het elektriciteitsnet?

In heel Zeeland lopen steeds meer bedrijven tegen hetzelfde probleem aan:
Projecten lopen vertraging op, elektrificatie blijft liggen, werkzaamheden worden beperkt en bedrijfsgroei stagneert, simpelweg omdat het stroomnet het niet aankan.

Maar wat nou als je niet afhankelijk meer hoeft te zijn van het elektriciteitsnet?

Met steun van de subsidie Zeeland in Stroomversnelling (ZIS) van de heeft Kitepower het project Wind in Beweging opgezet: een onderzoek naar hoe Airborne Wind Energy kan zorgen voor lokale, hernieuwbare energie, precies waar en wanneer die nodig is, zonder lange wachttijden of vaste infrastructuur.

Samen met , , Zeeland Connect, onderzoeken we waar en voor wie dit in Zeeland de oplossing kan zijn.

Voor dit project nodigen we Zeeuwse ondernemers uit contact op te nemen om die:

- te maken hebben met beperkte of vertraagde toegang tot het elektriciteitsnet
- opereren op tijdelijke of energiebeperkte locaties
- of op zoek zijn naar nieuwe manieren om te groeien zonder afhankelijk te zijn van het elektriciteitsnet

Wilt u een bijdrage leveren aan het onderzoek of uw situatie met ons delen? Kom dan in contact door ons een bericht te sturen op LinkdIn. Laten we samen richting geven aan de duurzame en net-congestievrije toekomst van Zeeland.

Planting the flag in Ireland

Following our recent milestone — obtaining an unlimited permit to operate in Ireland — we’re taking a moment to look back at 2023: when our test site in Bangor Erris, County Mayo, took its first flight. 🍀

After an extensive global search, this coastal location was selected in collaboration with RWE to establish the Airborne Wind Energy test facility in Ireland. With strong Atlantic winds and open coastal conditions, the site provides an ideal environment to test our systems under a wide range of wind scenarios.

Testing in these demanding conditions helps us strengthen and refine our technology. If our kite systems can operate reliably in these challenging conditions, it proves the potential of airborne wind energy worldwide.

With the help of our Irish colleagues the site has evolved into playing the key role in advancing our technology and exploring the future of airborne wind energy. The welcoming local community makes all our Dutch-based colleagues look forward to traveling West and spending time in the field (and the pub.. 😉).

We would like to thank our partners county council, , aviation authority and na mona for accelerating the development of this exciting project!

EnergyTransition

For this week’s milestone, we look back to 2021: Kitepower at Goeree-Overflakkee 💨

In 2021 Kitepower carried out a trial demonstration at Goeree-Overflakkee, welcoming local authorities and partners to see our system in action. This was a valuable moment where our technology was showcased, enabling knowledge exchange and discussion on its potential role within future energy systems in the region.

The same year Kitepower received the All-In-One Permit for Physical Aspects granted by the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee in Collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat and RVO. This gave us the ability to operate, test and continue developing our system at the melissant site.

In 2025, Kitepower relocated its test location to a site near the Hagestijnsebrug. The river overflow environment presented new challenges and demonstrated the system’s adaptability and flexibility. This step is the result of many milestones achieved in the intervening years, which we will highlight in upcoming Milestone Mondays. Stay tuned! 🪁

What does it mean to commit to wind energy? 💭

On the 15th of December, the closing reception of the Flying Solo exhibition “Committing to wind” took place in the auditorium of the TU Delft, where a diverse panel of industry experts explored what is needed to commit to wind energy.

Kitepower’s co-founder Roland Schmehl together with Helena Schmidt, provided valuable insights into the role of airborne wind energy in the wind sector and its wider societal impact. At the end of the session, participants shared their thoughts on what commitment to wind energy entails, with responsibility, collaboration and creativity receiving particular emphasis.

The Flying Solo exhibition can still be visited at the until the end of January.

📸

Yesterday we hosted a behind-the-scenes tour at Kitepower as part of the Flying Solo exhibition by the

On 20 November, visitors got a unique look into our workspace, from hardware and simulations to the pre-flight checks of our systems. And of course, the star of the show: our 60 m² kite, specially displayed for the occasion! 🪁