Control as a key technology for a radical innovation in wind energy generation

This paper is concerned with an innovative technology, denoted as Kitenergy, for the conversion of high-altitude wind energy into electricity. The research activities carried out in the last five years, including theoretical analyses, numerical simulations and experimental tests, indicate that Kitenergy could bring forth a revolution in wind energy generation, providing renewable energy in large quantities at lower cost than fossil energy. After an overview of the main features of the technology, this work investigates three important aspects: the evaluation of the performance achieved by the employed control law, the optimization of the generator operating cycle and the possibility to generate continuously a constant and maximal power output. These issues are tackled through the combined use of advanced modeling, control and optimization methods, which results to be key technologies for a significant breakthrough in renewable energy generation.