In the course of this topic, I’ve sometimes strayed into combinations that are probably not feasible, for the little I’ve tested, like this one: //forum.awesystems.info/t/flygenkite/1401/15.
It is also perhaps a pity that for some reason I strayed towards other concepts that we now know failed. But it is still a bit early to be quite sure, at least partly because failed systems might become successful sub-systems.
That’s why I take back the basic concept of the FlygenKite and whose preliminary tests have been positive, as shown in the videos and preliminary studies: a power kite, at least one turbine, a bar, two lines.
The initial use is as a fly-gen crosswind kite, requiring an automated active control by the two lines at the ground station. Compared to the static version described below, a higher power (perhaps 10x with a glide number of 4 or 5 without the turbines) is reachable, but the high price to pay is a lower elevation angle and a far lower density in the case of implementation of kite farm, so in the end a lower Power to space use ratio.
But it can also be used as a static kite with the same material, the kite becoming a lifter kite. An automated active-passive control is required to stabilize the kite in a stationary position. Higher elevation angle and density become possible, by using more material in return.
Now, I think that the addition of solar power can have a significant advantage for any AWES that becomes ASWES, especially for flexible kites with larger area, and even more so for fly-gen systems because of the electrical cable already present: it saves ground space used for photovoltaic panels, and increases the spectrum of use (wind + solar) and the overall power.
A static FlygenKite would benefit from more sunlight as the sun approaches the zenith.
Conversely, a FlygenKite crosswind would benefit from a better orientation when the sun is close to the horizon.
The materials already exist and are used for sails (French website below):
https://www.solarclothsystem.com/realisations
Premier test grandeur nature en course de panneaux solaires souples (400g/m²)
Translation:
First full-scale test of flexible solar panels (400g/m²)
Classic small and light wind turbines are used, but some other systems evoked above, like TRPT or/and SuperTurbine ™, could perhaps work as sub-systems in order to save some weight.