Defence tests Kitepower on Aruba
In early September, a cargo ship will sail from Eemshaven to Aruba carrying a 100 kW generator from Delft-based start-up Kitepower. Later this month, the set-up will be installed in the shadow of the 30 MW Vader Piet wind farm on the island. The Ministry of Defence is planning to test the rig that generates electricity with a giant kite during a military exercise.
It is the provisional culmination of closer ties between the Ministry of Defence and Kitepower that began some five years ago (in Dutch). Military personnel were introduced to the 100 kW system on their training ground in Marnewaard, where they operated it themselves two years later, in 2018.
Kitepower has clear advantages for Defence: a modular system that fits into a 20 foot container; quick installation and easy operation; and, a virtually silent system. Furthermore, the combination of stable wind and expensive local electricity from diesel generators on Aruba makes Kitepower an economical option.
- See news item on Kitepower’s website.
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