TwingTec
Wind Energy 2.0 – mobile wind energy systems for off-grid applications
In Switzerland, electricity is cheap and readily available. However, not all parts of the world are so lucky, and there are many places where the only possibility is to generate electricity with diesel generators.
Remote communities, off-grid mines, tourist resorts and seawater desalination are just a few examples of applications where high energy costs are a huge problem.
In order to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions in such applications, TwingTec has developed the TT100: a fully autonomous, mobile wind energy system with an output of 100kW. The system is integrated into a 20-foot-shipping-container which is easy to transport and deliver to remote sites.
Electricity is produced by flying a controlled cycle using a tethered wing or Twing at an altitude up to 300 meters above the ground.
The energy captured by the Twing is transmitted to the ground mechanically by two high strength ropes or tethers, where it is converted to electricity using a rotating drum that drives a generator.
The TT100 will be deployed into remote sites and will work in parallel with the existing diesel generators that are used for power production. When the wind is blowing, the TT100 will produce up to 100kW of electrical power which will reduce the load on the diesel generators, saving fuel. If there is no wind, the diesel generators can be used to supply power as normal. No energy storage system is required.