“Dynamic Soaring in Wind Turbine Wakes” is a quite recent publication (June, 2023).
In few words it is about using gliders in dynamic soaring for the revitalization of the wake, by using the wake and the clearer wind layer above. The evaluations give hope for a substantial gain.
This may be the most interesting thing I’ve seen in airborne wind power (AWE) in a long time. If only one topic would be debated in the next AWES 2024, I would chose this one.
This could make the link between traditional wind energy (the one that produces) and AWE.
The PDF is available upon request.
This opens a field. Studies could follow on the safety of gliders near wind turbine blades.
If such a concept is workable (it looks to be), that could lead to a significant energy generation (by wake revitalization) without the requirement of tethers, generators, motors, land use…
This would be a new direction for AWE: capturing the clear layers of wind above the wind turbines for the benefit of them, by revitalizing the wake.
Congratulations to the authors:
Jochem De Schutter
Moritz Diehl
Johan Meyers