The energy technology startup company Ampyx Power has succeeded in securing a subsidy from the European fund for regional development. This subsidy will allow Ampyx Power to finalize the automation of the prototype PowerPlane system.

Airborne Wind Energy Startup Ampyx Power secures subsidy from the European fund for regional development

The Hague, 14.09.2010 - The energy technology startup company Ampyx Power has succeeded in securing a subsidy from the European fund for regional development. This subsidy will allow Ampyx Power to finalize the automation of the prototype PowerPlane system. The PowerPlane system has the potential to generate renewable energy at costs similar to fossil fuel generated electricity.

Ampyx Power develops a straightforward Airborne Wind Energy system, which successfully utilizes winds at higher altitudes for energy production. The PowerPlane system uses a gliderplane to unwind a cable from a winch during flight and thereby propel a generator on the ground. The expected costs of this way of energy production are significantly lower than those of commonly used wind turbines and comparable to grey energy production.

The subsidy from the European fund for regional development was obtained through the Kansen voor West program in the city of The Hague, the Netherlands.

Together with the investment deal earlier this year with the Norwegian energy company Statkraft, Europe's biggest producer of renewable energy and Byte, a Dutch IT company, this completes the financing required for full automation of electricity production with the company's current 10kW PowerPlane prototype and start the next development phase of scaling up to a 100KW system.

Ampyx Power plans to demonstrate fully automated power production in late 2010. The development of a commercial 1MW PowerPlane is expected to be finalized in 2013.