Energies, Vol. 19, Pages 668: Augmenting Offshore Wind-Farm Yield with Tethered Kites

Energies, Vol. 19, Pages 668: Augmenting Offshore Wind-Farm Yield with Tethered Kites

Energies doi: 10.3390/en19030668

Authors:
Karl Zammit
Luke Jurgen Briffa
Jean-Paul Mollicone
Tonio Sant

Offshore wind-farm performance remains constrained by persistent wake deficits and turbulence that compound across intra-farm, intra-cluster, and inter-cluster scales, particularly under atmospheric neutral–stable stratification. A concept is advanced whereby offshore wind-farm yield may be augmented by pairing conventional horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) with lighter-than-air parafoil systems that entrain higher-momentum air and re-energise wakes, complementing yaw/induction-based wake control and enabling higher array energy density. A concise synthesis of wake physics and associated challenges motivates opportunities for active momentum re-injection, while a review of kite technologies frames design choices for lift generation and spatial keeping. Stability and control, spanning static and dynamic behaviours, tether dynamics, and response to extreme meteorological conditions, are identified as key challenges. System-integration pathways are outlined, including alignment and mounting options relative to turbine rows and prevailing shear. A staged validation programme is proposed, combining high-fidelity numerical simulation with wave-tank testing of coupled mooring–tether dynamics and wind-tunnel experiments on scaled arrays. Evaluation metrics emphasise net energy gain, fatigue loading, availability, and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE). The paper concludes with research directions and recommendations to guide standards and investment, and with a quantitative assessment of the techno-economic significance of kite–HAWT integration at scale.