Airborne Wind Energy Technology

1. Dieses Vorhaben wird von der
Europäischen Union kofinanziert
Investition in Ihre Zukunft
Uwe Ahrens
The Future of Energy
X-Wind-Technology

2. An energy source well known since 3000 years

3. • Wind availability for operation up to 90%
• Up to 3 x more efficient than common windmills*
• Grid independent, scalable and suitable
(for almost any territory)
• Operational costs comparable to fossil fuels*
The main facts
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3
*Source: Fraunhofer Institut IWES, Bremerhaven

4. 4
Energy Kite
Generator/Engine
Track System
X-Wind plants combine well known technologies

5. 5
Energy Kite
Generator/Engine
Track System
X-Wind plants combine well known technologies
Bogie

6. Interface between bogie and steering unit
X-Wind steering unit
Pivot
bearing
Bogie
6
Steering unit

7. Power transmission into the grid

8. X-Wind plants combine well known technologies
Simulation of an X-Wind plant
Automatically steered
kites
Power unit
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8

9. First flight with energy production Juli 11th 2012

10. Wind power plants uses
the same force which are
necessary for airplanes
Lifting force!
For example: Wind turbine
with 6 MW capacity rating
and a disc of 18.600 m², a
capacity factor of 10-40%
and an energy supply of
5,2 – 21 GWh/a
(depending on site)
Functoinality wind power plants
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11. Where does the power
come from?
Die Kraft dahinter!
Lifting force
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12. A plank in the wind
creates a load
Lifting force
12
direction

13. This load (Fa)
= lifting force,
Is calculated by
Different factors
Lifting force
13
direction

14. 1. The wind speed (v)
Slow wind = small load
Lifting force
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directiondirection

15. Strong wind = high load
But in square ! Double
Wind speed means
4 times of load !
Lifting force
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direction

16. 2. The face (A)
Small face = low force
Lifting force
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direction

17. Great face = great load
Lifting force
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direction

18. 3. The air density (r/2)
Rare air = small load
Lifting force
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direction

19. Thick air = high force
Remark: The air thicknes shifting close to ground (< 1000m) is insignificant!
Lifting force
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direction

20. 4. The lift coefficient (CA)
Bad aerodynamic = small force
Lifting force
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direction

21. Good aerodynamic = high force
Lifting force
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direction

22. Lift distribution on a rotor blade
V Rotor = 0 km/h V Rotor = 300 km/h

23. The rotor blade
leading edges
produces:
The speed of the rotor blade
heads to zero in the center.
The lifting power squares with the
the wind speed. The reason why
the blade tips are responsible for
the main part of produced energy.
Where is the vast bulk from?
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24. And what has this to do with airborne wind energy?
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25. A cut through the rotor blade
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26. Two tips together are comparable with a kite
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27. Kites are „flying rotor blade leading edges“
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28. The optimal flight patterns is a horizontal position of an 8.
How kites fly
Energy kites are able to fly in the optimal flight level !
High at weak wind, low if wind is to strong ! A conventional
wind turbine is not able to stoop down !
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29. The horizontal flight pattern scheme
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30. With increasing level not only wind speed is
increasing but also the intensity

31. Jibe
position
Back and forward with wind from one direction
with sailboat
Kite in
idle
position
Wind-
direction
TackJibe
X-Wind principle
Back and forward with wind from one direction
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Main principle

32. Jibe
position
Back and forward with wind from one direction
with sailboat
Kite in
idle
position
Wind-
direction
TackJibe
32
Main principle

33. Jibe
position
Back and forward with wind from one direction
with sailboat
Kite in
idle
position
Wind-
direction
TackJibe
X-Wind principle
Back and forward with wind from one direction
33

34. Energy production Energy-
consumption

35. X-Wind power: Kites pulls powerhead = energy production,
powerhead runs = give a lift or hold kite in the air
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36. 36
Factor 3,1
Factor 2,4

37. Movie on request:
info@x-wind.de
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38. 38
Movie on request:
info@x-wind.de

39. Real proportion of X-Wind Plants
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40. Real proportion in comparison
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41. Wind energy costs comparable with fossil fuels
• 120 GWh/year = 1 NTS-plant
• Starts at 2.5 m/sec, operates at 300 m
• 120 GWh/year = 60 x 1 MW windmill
• Starts at 5 m/sec, operates at 120 m
• Investment > 70 mil €
For the first time in history wind will produce energy comparable to fossil fuels!
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42. Market outlook

43. Market outlook X-Windplants

44. Selected results of a study made by Fraunhoher
Institute IWES, Bremerhaven
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45. Results
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Results: Wind speed in upper level
is higher than expected

46. Results at different sites
46
Source: NTS
Gain Level

47. Comparison capacity factors of conventional and
airborne wind-energy
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WEA = Conventional Wind Energy
FWEA = Airborne Wind Energy

48. Electricity costs of airborne wind-energy
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49. Specific area need
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•Biomass power plant 1-2 GWh/km²/a (Middle Europe)
•Geothermal power plant 1-2 GWh/km²/a (Turkey, Italy)
•Conventionell windpower 5-50 GWh/km²/a (Coast, Offshore)
•Hydro electric power plant 5-50 GWh/km²/a (Norway, Alps)
•Photovoltaic 10-100 GWh/km²/a (South Europe)
•Solar heat power plant 100-250 GWh/km²/a (Northern Afrika)
•X-Wind power plant >2.500 GWh/km²/a (nearly at each site)2)
Source: DLR Prof. Dr. Dr.-Ing. habil Hans Müller-Steinhagen 2) own calculation

50. Contribution to grid stability
Production ConsumptionTransmission system operator
50 Hz
Market for control reserveDispatchable
plant
tender
X-Wind plant

51. Contribution to grid stability
• Technology is able to reduce its installed capacity within 10 sec.
 negative control reserve (switching from generation to
engine mode)
• Is perfectly qualified for the provision of secondary and tertiary
control reserve
 Therfore, technology can provide a substantial contribution to
the grid stability

52. Revenues from control reserve market (GER)
Average income from capacity prices
2012 2013
Negativ secondary
control reserve
103.000 €/MW/a 100.000 €/MW/a
Negativ tertiary
control reserve
37.600 €/MW/a 46.000 €/MW/a

53. 53
< 400m single test track ( in operation since 2011)
40.000 sqm area at Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Mining rights for the area belong to FIM GmbH
Permits and approvals: Thumbs up from the authorities
400m single track in operation by July 2011
Main winddirection
circle track (starting 2014)
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Test tracks in northern Germany, Region Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Prototyp building in Friedland

54. Awards
• February 2009, KIS-Forum Brussels: “Most
Successful company”
• September 2009, EVC, Lisbon: “Best
Cleantech Company”
• November 2009, 2. Münchner Cleantech-
Konferenz: Best Presenting Company
• December 2009, EVC Barcelona: Finalist
“Top 25” of the best European Venture
Opportunities
• September 2010, ecolink+, Vienna: Best
Presenting Company
• Nov. 2010 European Venture Contest,
Luxembourg: Best Cleantech Company
• October 2012, Eureka Venture Forum
Istanbul, Best presenting Company
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55. Experienced Team
Uwe Ahrens, Founder:
• Toolmaker, VW
• R&D, VW
• Quality Management , VW and BMW
• Dipl.-Ing.
Aerospace-Aviation Engineer, TU Berlin
• Design Manager, J&J
• Operation Manager, J&J
• Founder and long-standing CEO of aap
Implantate AG. IPO in 1999
• Chairman of innovation, technology and
industry at the Berlin Chamber of
Commerce, among others.
11 employees: 9 engineers, 1 office manager, 1 apprentice
Advisory Board
Senator Mario Caroli, Managing Director and shareholder Bankhaus Ellwanger & Geiger
Dr. Martin Wienkenhöver, CEO CABB-Chemicals
Dr. Henner Gladen, MAMA Sustainable Incubation AG former CTO Solar Millenium
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Experience:
Founding
R&D Manager
QM & EM
EDP structuring
Knowledge Management
Operation Manager
Education structuring
Marketing structuring
Sales structuring
Finance/Controlling
IPO
Acquisition
Super visor boards
Restructuring

56. Experienced Team
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Enthusiasm, I believe there is no better description of the motivation
of our team of high educated scientists, engineers and cooperators.

57. Selected References
Katherina Reiche,
Parliamentary State
Secretary of the
German Federal
Ministry for the
Environment
congratulates NTS at
their office opening on
January 7th 2011.
Mr Jeannot Krecké, Luxembourg
Minister of the Economy and
Foreign Trade awards NTS in
November 2010 at the European
Venture Contest as best
Cleantech Company.
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Minister for Energy Mr
Schlotmann Germany,
Mecklenburg Vorpommern
Visiting the Test-track at
Friedland Site in March 2012
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58. Patents granted
• USA
• China
• Russia
• Europe
• Indonesia
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• Turkey
• Australia
• South Africa
• Morocco

59. Patents granted
• USA
• China
• Russia
• Europe
• Indonesia
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• Turkey
• Australia
• South Africa
• Morocco

60. Partners
Letters of Intent
• BMW, Werk Leipzig
• DSM/Dyneema, Niederlande
Development Partner and Sponsors
• 3M
• Berliner Stadtreinigung BSR
• Autodesk
• Friedland Industrial Minerals GmbH
• Fraunhofer Institut IPA, ISW Stuttgart
• Thyssen Krupp
• Hapag-Lloyd
• Liros
• Swing Flugsportgeräte
• TU Berlin, Beuth Hochschule für Technik Berlin
Associations
• Bundesverband Windenergie e.V.
• Airborne Wind Energy Consortium
• Organization committee AWEC 2011
Investors
• Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau
• 3M
• Investitionsbank Berlin/EFRE (Grant)
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61. Further advantages
•Bird save
•Low noise generation
•No stroboscopic effect
•Easy maintenance on ground
•Confirmation of feasability
(airspace, ground protection)
•Tremendous reduction of material use
(<10% of comparable windmills)
Source: DLR Prof. Dr. Dr.-Ing. habil Hans Müller-Steinhagen 2)own calculation

62. NTS Energie- und Transportsysteme GmbH
• Founded June 2006 in Berlin, Germany by
Uwe Ahrens (CEO)
• Developing and construction of
X-Wind Plants (spoken: Cross-Wind Plants)
• Roughly 4 Mio. € invested
• Testrack in Friedland
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63. Existing investors
• KfW 8,8 %
• Ecognized (CFO) 15,1 %
• FFF 21,2 %
• Uwe Ahrens (CEO) 54,9 %
Invested roughly 4.3 Mio. Euro

64. Milestones and next steps
• Allowence for test track construction 
• ISO 9001 and 14001 certified 
• Data room available 
• Automated flight 
• Production of electrical energy 
• Construction of closed loop 2014-2015
• Design of a serial plant 2014
• Construction of a serial plant 2014
• Beginning of operation 2016
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65. Our targets
• Searching for development partners
• Energy producers
• Universities
• Green Energy Cooperative
• Public Private Partnerships
• Investors in X-Wind technologies. Visit:
https://www.deutsche-mikroinvest.de/xwind
• Licencies
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66. Our offers:
• Searching for manufacturing partners
– Track systems
– Kite production
– Rope manufacturing
– Servo motor manufacturing
– Bogie manufacturing
– Transformer manufacturing
– Control panel manufacturing
– Contracting business
– Service contractors
• Education system
• Investment opportunities visit:
https://www.deutsche-mikroinvest.de/xwind
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67. Thank you
very much
for your
attention
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68. Literature:
New:
Scientific
book about
Airborne
Wind Energy
published:
Uwe Ahrens,
Roland
Schmehl,
Moritz Diehl:
Airborne
Wind Energy
(ISSN 1865-
3529)

69. The future of renewable energy!
69

70. Dieses Vorhaben wird von der
Europäischen Union kofinanziert
Investition in Ihre Zukunft
More: www.x-wind.de
© 2013 NTS Energie- und Transportsysteme GmbH
Tel.: +49-30-275 911 80 | Fax: +49-30-88720907
info@x-wind.de| Kurfürstendamm 217, 10719 Berlin