Welcome to our spotlight series. This week we feature Johannes Peschel, Founder and CEO of Kitepower. The wind turbine startup is based in Delft, The Netherlands.
Johannes Peschel
Founder and CEO, Kitepower
Hi Johannes! What does Kitepower do?
Kitepower develops cost-effective wind turbines by using lightweight kites to generate electricity.
Why is it going to change the world?
Kitepower offers system integrators that operate distributed energy grids - an addition to solar PV and battery systems that can significantly empower their decarbonization plans and accelerate the race to zero emissions. Kitepower systems use less material compared to other renewables (up to 90% less material than equivalent wind turbines) - a core factor that also makes them mobile and resilient. By avoiding heavy foundations and producing energy day and night regardless of wind strength, Kitepower drives cheaper transportation and installation that allows for cost-competitive electricity generation.
What led you to start the company?
During my studies, I did landboarding, an activity in which you stand on a kind of skateboard and a kite pulls you along. I once broke my arm while doing that, and I remember laying at the hospital being amazed by how much energy there was in such a kite. I couldn't help but think that there could be other more useful purposes for it than breaking bones. That was the first time that the idea of electricity-generating kites resonated in my mind. When I later discovered that TU Delft was researching this very concept, I moved to the Netherlands. At TU Delft, I met Associate Professor and Kitepower Advisor & Co-Founder, Dr. Roland Schmehl. During my studies and research, the blueprint for Kitepower came to be.
What’s the most exciting thing you’re working on right now?
The recent operation of Kitepower on Aruba definitely represents the latest major endeavor carried out by the company. The deployment of our technology on the Caribbean island, within the context of a military exercise, is the result of a five-year-long collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Defense. The initiative is aimed at the development and testing of an innovative energy system capable of supporting the Ministry's decarbonization efforts. When we first started the company, I had to arrange a photoshopped image of a kite flying on an island, and now that is irrevocably the reality!
What’s been your most memorable moment since founding the company?
One of my most memorable moments is definitely the first time I met the late wind energy pioneer and Kitepower's angel investor-to-be Henk Hutting (1952-2021). Sharing the vision with a renewable energy guru like Henk was extremely reinvigorating and inspiring. For years I have had the fortune of being able to count on the mentorship of Henk, and his addition to Kitepower’s board certainly marked a great turning point in the company’s development.
How can readers support you on your journey?
Everyone can now play a vital role in Kitepower’s growth by investing alongside a community of impact-driven, like-minded people. Kitepower is collaborating with UK equity crowdfunding platform Crowdcube to allow everyone to participate in our journey to a smarter energy future. It is now possible to sign up and express interest in limited Kitepower shares. The collected funds will be used to secure Kitepower’s next steps toward the consolidation of a product roadmap capable of disrupting the world of distributed energy generation.
Check out a video highlighting Kitepower’s demonstration of their technology in the Caribbean here.
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