The project
The MegaAWE project aims to bring utility-scale AWE systems closer to commercial reality and to prepare the supply chain in North West Europe (NWE) for a utility-scale prototype demonstration. The partnership covers a wide range of stakeholders to support knowledge transfer and to strengthen innovation capability in the region, including both users and technology providers. This network will facilitate discussion on AWE solutions, provide opportunity for technology demonstration, and pair needs with the technological capabilities available from Europe’s SMEs and established industry.
The total budget of MegaAWE is €12.3M, of which €6.8M have been granted by the European Regional Development Fund Interreg North-West Europe. “This is a big achievement for us, our partners in the consortium and the entire sector. With the Interreg funding we will lay the ground to scale this technology by about a factor 10 in terms of power output, and demonstrate it in the region”, says Stefan Wilhelm, Product Assurance Officer at Ampyx Power.
The consortium is led by Mayo County Council, Ireland and Ampyx Power is the main technological solution provider. User partner RWE Renewables will develop an AWES test hub in Mayo County. The regions of South Holland, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Brittany and the French Mediterranean region Occitanie will contribute with supply chain, demonstration sites and deployment opportunities. Innovation centers from Ireland, the UK, The Netherlands and Germany will support regions with evaluation of the solutions from a technical and public perception point of view. Technology partners SABCA, Parkburn Precision Handling Systems, Siemens SISW, Infracore, Stellar Space Industries will support up-scaling of the Ampyx Power solution to megawatt scale and the development of affordable series production processes. Sector organization Airborne Wind Europe will ensure knowledge-sharing between the MegaAWE consortium and the wider AWE community, and work on the necessary financial support instruments for AWES development within Europe.
The key challenges in developing megawatt scale airborne wind energy have been identified and are actively being addressed with technical partners in the MegaAWE consortium. Firstly, there is a need for a safe and fully automatic endurance demonstration. This will be done with our 150-kW commercial demonstrator AP3 on the AWES test center in County Mayo that is being developed by RWE Renewables. Other challenges include the development of the aircraft’s composite structure for cost-effectiveness and mass reduction, characterisation and improvement of tether handling and wear, and the development of cost-effective drivetrain and energy storage solutions.