The application of airborne wind energy systems in hybrid power plants

Abstract

This thesis investigates how airborne wind energy systems (AWES) can be integrated into hybrid power plants (HPPs) to improve generation performance and system flexibility. While AWES are typically studied in isolation, their potential role within hybrid systems combining solar, wind, and battery storage has not been widely explored. This research addresses that gap by modeling hybrid configurations that include AWES and evaluating their performance across multiple European locations. Using the HyDesign modeling tool, this study compares technology combinations such as AWES-only, AWES + Wind, and AWES + Solar, and evaluates their output in three distinct European locations. AWES were manually integrated into HyDesign via a validated static power curve, with operation fixed at 200 meters due to wind data limitations. In addition to location-based testing, sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the impact of higheraltitude operation and adjusted AWES power curves on system performance. A financial assessment was also performed to examine how cost assumptions influence competitiveness, including scenarios with reduced capital expenditure (CAPEX) and the addition of battery storage. Results show that AWES + Solar configurations offer the most complementary performance, particularly in low-resource environments. AWES contribute more during non-solar hours, while solar generation fills daytime gaps. Although AWES remained less competitive than conventional wind turbines under current cost assumptions, cost parity was achievable with reduced CAPEX. Battery storage enabled more flexible energy dispatch but had limited effect on profitability. Overall, the findings indicate that AWES can improve the performance and reliability of hybrid power plants when deployed in suitable environments and paired with complementary technologies.