The global demand for green hydrogen will rise sharply in the future and production will not cover that demand, by far. The limiting factor is the renewable energy source (RES). Existing technologies are not sufficient to meet this demand - we need new innovations.

This is where OCEANERGY comes in: We are developing Energy Ships that produce green hydrogen on board by electrolysis on the open ocean to bring it back to harbors.

To this end, our ships use high-altitude wind technology, airborne kites, to generate green electricity from wind power around the clock. So-called base-load electricity. Our green production technology generates any amount of hydrogen. It guarantees this kind of stored energy at low cost. Our customers include energy suppliers and oil, gas and industrial companies.

 

Our patented technology

• Increases energy independence,
• Makes a significant contribution to meeting climate targets,
• And is 100% ecological, ecosystems remain intact.

Our K1 Kite Propulsion system is a world first. Our technology is already protected by 25 patents and patent applications. We received innovation Grants to finance our first version of the K1 Kite Propulsion system together with its Launch and Landing system. Both have been in operation at our Kite Test Center in Cape Town at the "Cape of Storms" since 2020 and in constant further development.

The fourth generation of the K1 system is 95% assembled in Stuttgart in 2023 (Germany). After completion, the system will be ready for installation in the ship.

This current round of financing will be used to commission the 4th generation of the Kite Propulsion system, build its Launch/Landing system and marry both to the ship.

OCEANERGY is a machine manufacturer from Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, South West Germany, the hub of finest German engineering (it is the home of Mercedes, Daimler, Porsche, Bosch, and may other top-notch technology companies). OCEANERGY was founded in 2017 to develop a Kite Propulsion system for Energy Ships.

Since 2018, OCEANERGY has been convincing private investors and received funding, which financed our first propulsion system K1.

Since 2019, OCEANERGY has been coordinating a consortium of partner companies and research institutes to ensure ship construction and the further processing of green electricity into hydrogen, including storage.

  

Our fascinating technology with its wide range of facets unites the most exciting fields of aerospace, nautics, robotics, and green energy, across technical disciplines. It thus creates the greatest attraction for a highly committed and growing team with a shared vision. Driven by the motivation to make a significant contribution to protecting our natural environment. In this way, we are also living up to our responsibility for future generations.

 

The innovative aspect of OCEANERGY's technology is that wind characteristics are optimally utilized by a mobile system. Wind is subject to predictable local fluctuations and increases greatly with altitude. OCEANERGY's high-altitude wind technology allows the use of winds up to an altitude of over 1000 meters. The kite is flown dynamically, which increases its tractive force many times over, as compared to a stationary kite. This traction force can be utilized using two harvesting methods:

The rope force can be converted into electrical energy via direct connection to generators by pulling out the ropes with high energy and hauling them in with low energy. In addition, underwater rotors can be used for hydrokinetic energy harvesting.

A smartly navigated production vessel always moves in optimal wind conditions. This results in almost 100 percent wind availability, a world’s first from wind power, which OCEANERGY can prove in 120,000 simulated harvesting trips with real weather data.

Image: As compared to stationary wind turbines (offshore; bottom) our mobile and smart navigation, taking wind forecast into account (top), achieves a fourfold increase (!) in capacity utilization with 7500 full load hours per year. This data comes from 120,000 simulated harvesting trips.

This means that constantly high wind speeds at 97 percent capacity are available to generate electrical energy. This green electricity is stored as hydrogen from seawater by electrolysis and delivered to harbors in planned intervals. We can scale this hydrogen production on the entire ocean with almost any kite size and number of ships.

  

The K1 Kite Propulsion system is a world first. It is protected against imitation by a sophisticated portfolio of 25 patents and applications. It supplies power directly from the system and propulsion for the ship.

The technology on the ship is divided into Power Train and H₂ e-Fuel Train.

All components of the H₂/e-Fuel Train are already available and are being adapted to the conditions on board by our consortium partners.

The most outstanding feature is that the kites can be scaled up to thousands of square meters, for the first time, resulting in performance in the high megawatt range. To achieve this success, we worked for many years with renowned kite experts and engineers from the fields of mechanical engineering and aerospace. There are many innovations required to achieve this result, each of which is protected in its own right and which are further strengthened working jointly together.

The Power Train is the propulsion system of the Energy Ships. This unit consisting of four subsystems. The Kite Control system forms the basis. This controls the high-performance kites via four flying ropes and is also the anchor of the system. The Cockpit includes a specially developed force feedback control system for performance optimization, as well as several auto-pilots. It can therefore be flown manually or automatically, similar to the fly-by-wire technology of modern airplanes. The groundbreaking take-off-landing system transfers kites to active flight and vice versa.

Our kites are true lightweights. They are made of high-strength composite textile materials and concepts used in space technology. These kites achieve loads of 5,000 N/m2, which was previously only possible with heavy and rigid aluminum or GRP wings. In addition, our kites can be stowed very compactly.

Our Launch/Landing System carries the kites and sends them into the sky. This makes previously unthinkable kite sizes and therefore power [MW] possible. This innovation opens up unimagined possibilities. Mast-less take-offs and landings do not limit scaling of the kites and thus enable finally the commercial breakthrough of airborne kite technologies in the energy sector.

Our Kite Control system is currently in its 4th generation. It can process 160 kN of traction force and supply 360 kW of green electricity. It can be upgraded to 640 kN and 1.2 MW of electricity. We expect to reach the 50 MW mark by 2029 and the 100 MW mark before 2034.

Our Cockpit was developed in-house and includes customized innovations for the control commands. The hardware and software architecture has been designed for redundancy and maximum reliability. We have competition kite pilots who can get the highest performance out of the kites, enabled by enhanced sensory and force feedback. This also provides the benchmark for our auto-pilots, partly based on AI.

Economic efficiency

Production = transport

The KITE HYDROGEN SHIP delivers green hydrogen to any port worldwide at the lowest cost. There are no additional transportation costs: The harvesting route is also the transportation route to harbors with hydrogen or ammonia terminals.

Logistics is already integrated.

 

Scalability

Square meters = energy

Any number of ships can be deployed. There is no limitation as for coastal areas, but rather the infinite area of the oceans. Because they have no mast, airborne kites can easily be scaled to almost any number of square meters and thus power.

Unlimited space.

 

Autonomy

No man's land = freedom

Fuel production takes place in no man's land outside the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). There are no geographical or geopolitical dependencies on states or governments.

Independent.

 

Flexibility

Change = adaptation

The production route can react flexibly to market changes or regional prices and conditions. The KITE HYDROGEN SHIP adapts to changes in climate and wind; long-term sustainability is built in.

ESimply adaptive.

 

Ecology

Harvest = Nature

The ships do not destroy ecosystems or harm flora or fauna. The KITE HYDROGEN SHIP creates no environmental concerns and does not spoil the landscape. This promotes general acceptance.

“Not in my backyard” built in.

OCEANERGY's business model is designed for the long term success and is divided into three primary sources of income.

The main income is generated from the sale and operation of our K1 Kite Propulsion system machines. These will soon be available in a LIGHT version for the emission-free propulsion of motor yachts for ocean crossings. The FULL versions will be used for green hydrogen production and are expected to be marketed for the first time in 2025/26 following the „ZEPHYR“ project.

In addition, there is income from the sale of our high-performance kites to other kite companies. In addition, there is license income from our energy ships’ design - as well as the smart navigation software based on wind forecasts and seasonal wind statistics.

With successful operations on the ocean, our financing partner is ready to manufacture and lease hundreds of Energy Ships to operators. Shipyards worldwide can be certified for a mass roll-out.

The green fuel or feedstock produced can be utilized by the ship operators itself or offered for sale.

Global hydrogen demand is forecasted to reach 21,500 TWh per year by 2050. The following chart shows the assumed market development for Europe. It looks very similar for other regions of the world (for the USA expected to be similar, even more). The growth of the market is exponential at least until 2050, an ideal prerequisite for our business potential. The chart shows the various market segments that will require hydrogen.

In our business plan, we also show that this demand will by no means be met by „traditional“ green electricity sources and import scenarios (only approx. 30%). New sources and technologies for green hydrogen production are urgently needed.

EU hydrogen uptake scenarios in 2030 and 2050 in TWh (Energy and Climate Change Directorate: Offshore wind to green hydrogen: opportunity assessment, 21 December 2020)

Our technology has the potential to achieve 10% of the global market share and more. This will require around 5,000 energy ships by 2050. This will require the construction of around 170 ships per year worldwide. A medium-sized shipyard can produce around 10 ships per year in series.

The following chart shows the number of active energy ships, separately for the 2035 and 2050 market segments.

Initially, these will probably be used primarily for the „existing use of feedstock“ in order to keep the steel industry or chemical industry, for example, competitive with green operations.

This estimate may increase significantly due to the huge demand for hydrogen. It is also based on the free capacities of shipyards. With the construction of new shipyards, specifically to build Energy Ships, we could even reach much higher dimension. We already have a financier who intends to finance the construction and mass rollout with international pension funds as soon as our technology is commercially viable.

The target groups for energy ships are

• Energy suppliers or oil and gas companies
• Self-consumers, such as regional suppliers, island states, steel companies, cement companies, chemical companies, airlines, shipping companies, fleet operators of trucks, buses or cars
• Further processors, such as refineries or e-fuel manufacturers
• Energy traders and marketplaces

These market participants can lease our Energy Ships from the financier, then operate them themselves or have them operated. They can harvest the hydrogen contingents they need to meet their emissions and climate targets, energy independence, cost advantages, and the positive image that goes hand in hand with this green production technology.

We have been working with potential customers for years. Some are investors or project partners and accompany us on the path to market maturity of our technology.

OCEANERGY uses all investment funds to develop, design and commission the necessary components in order to realize the overall KITE HYDROGEN SHIP project.

The current funding round will be used to commission the 4th version of the Kite Propulsion system, build the associated Lauch/Landing system and marry both to the ship. The ship construction will be financed through a separate campaign (€ 2m and fast-track construction in 6-8 months).

Picture: Our K1 Kite Propulsion system, the 4th generation, is ready for installation in a first small ship (up to 25m).

The Kite Propulsion technology powers the first Energy Ship prototype ZEPHYR.
Based on ZEPHYR, the prototype ships
PEGASUS (35m long for special markets, from 2024/25) and
ZEUS (150m for the mass market, from 2026/27)
will be detailed and built. Both ships will serve as a blueprint for series production and sales support. We can thus convince future Customers about this new technology.

Technical successes:

• The first flight in 2020 was an immediate success.
• The prototype of the Kite Propulsion system works as planned.
• Record flight: Kite flown with four ropes at a height of 400m.
• Automated take-offs and landings with a scalable solution.
• Operation of a composite textile kite with 30 kN tractive force and 15 m² kite surface area
• Operation of an autopilot for kite flight with four-rope architecture.
• Successful patent protection: over 25 patents, ten of these granted in Europe, China and the USA, the others are on a good way.

 

Economic successes

• Seal of Excellence by the European Commission 2020
• Formation of a competent and experienced team
• Innovation Grants from the state of Baden-Württemberg and income of € 3.8 million.
• Research and development budget of the University of Stuttgart of around € 3 million.
• Private and public investments of about € 3.8 million.
• Investment by founders and managers of € 3.6 million since 2012 (€ 12.5m with multiples).
• CEO of Hydrogen Europe wants to make the project a flagship project. LOI available.
• ACATECH, the Academy of German Engineering Sciences, sees our project as one of the most important future projects that must be brought to commercialization.
• A group of companies representing more than 100 pension funds would like to finance and build several hundred KITE HYDROGEN SHIPS. LOI available.

• High problem-solving potential: One of the biggest supply bottlenecks in the energy industry can be eliminated.
• New technology: Additional opportunities for commercialization through further applications and developments will follow.
• Investment with real, sustainable impact: All aspects of the project do not pose any problems for our environment, from start to finish.
• Team: An interdisciplinary and experienced team is working on the implementation.
• USPs: The versatility and sheer value of the unique selling points are outstanding.
• Scalability: No limit on expansion levels; depending on the investment volume, any amount of energy can be generated.

Builder Nation USA: "Green hydrogen production using kites with Wolfram Reiners" (Podcast in English)

DEKRA Solutions: "Blue Gold" (pages 34/35)

In German, some title stories and full-pages

Schwäbische: "Endless eco-energy"

Stuttgarter Zeitung: "How wind in the sails could become hydrogen"

SWR1 Rundfunk: "Baden-Württemberg invents the future"

aireg (Industry Association for Sustainable Air Fuels): "OCEANERGY AG becomes a member of aireg"