University research explores use of inflatable kites to boost offshore wind energy

Wind energy is clean and infinite but has two drawbacks – intermittency caused by the wind’s unpredictability and the need for vast areas to avoid interference.

Intermittency can be mitigated by deploying batteries to store energy created when it is not needed to be used when the wind stops blowing. But there is little else to do about the need for space.

When wind turbines are positioned close together, they create aerodynamic wake losses, which can reduce a farm’s total energy output by as much as 30%. To counter this, turbines are spaced far apart, often over a kilometre, requiring vast offshore areas for development.

But ground breaking research being conducted at the University of Malta aims to maximise the output of wind farms within the same offshore footprint. Researchers are exploring the use of large inflatable kites to redirect high-altitude winds toward wind turbines. This enhances their efficiency and energy yield.

The project called ParaWIND could revolutionise wind farm design, according to Tonio Sant, an engineering professor at the University of Malta. It would be a boon to harness “the stronger and more stable” winds at higher altitudes, he said.

“Airships were once widely used for transportation but fell out of favour after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. With today’s technology, we can repurpose similar inflatable structures into parafoils that help optimise wind farm performance,” Sant added.

Researchers Karl Zammit and Luke Jurgen Briffa are developing advanced computer models to simulate how these high-altitude kites can channel wind energy down to turbines. Using cutting-edge computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the team is analysing how airflow can be redirected to improve turbine efficiency without the need for additional infrastructure.

Jean Paul Mollicone added: “With modern CFD simulations, we can precisely model how inflatable parafoils can optimise wind conditions within a wind farm. This technology could be a game-changer for offshore wind energy.”

The researchers believe that with offshore wind farms expanding rapidly, solutions like ParaWIND could play a crucial role in maximising renewable energy output. If successful, ParaWIND could lead to lower electricity costs and improved sustainability for the offshore wind industry.

The project is funded by XjenzaMalta through the Fusion Research Excellence Programme.