With over 1,200 participants, the Wind Energy Science Conference (WESC) has established itself as the largest and most influential academic conference on wind energy worldwide. The 2025 edition, held in Nantes, once again demonstrated the growing recognition of Airborne Wind Energy as a pivotal part of the wind sector’s innovation landscape.
AWE Mini-Symposium: A two-day deep dive
Although billed as a “mini-symposium,” this year’s AWE-focused track spanned two full days (June 25–26), with more than 30 presentations and consistently 30–40 attendees per session. Organised by Prof. Roland Schmehl (TU Delft), the AWE track featured six technical sessions chaired by leading experts, covering topics from aerodynamics and control to deployment and system design.
The symposium included contributions from major institutions such as TU Delft, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Politecnico di Milano, Ghent University, and the University of Montpellier, among others, contrasting the maturing academic ecosystem around AWE.
Sector updates and standards development
Kristian Petrick (Airborne Wind Europe) presented the latest developments on standardisation in the AWE sector, including efforts to introduce the first two AWE standards into IEC 61400. He also updated participants on the successful extension of the IEA Wind Task 48, which serves as a crucial platform for sharing and consolidating results from European and international AWE research projects such as Meridional; Interreg NWE – DEM-AWE; AWETRAIN and JustWind4All.
The Task 48 session attracted significant interest and led to fruitful discussions on the work programme for Phase 2, reinforcing the momentum for global collaboration on AWE evaluation metrics and methodologies.
GIS Study on AWE potential in France
Marlène Moutel (Laminak Energy) presented groundbreaking results from a GIS-based study conducted under the DEM-AWE project. Her analysis revealed thousands of viable AWE sites across France, highlighting the technology’s multi-gigawatt potential in contributing to national and European renewable targets.
Insights on Social Acceptance
On the second day of the symposium, Kristian Petrick returned to the stage to present research conducted by Helena Schmidt, focusing on the social acceptance of AWE. These findings, developed within the JustWind4All project, were shared with an engaged audience of around 25 participants, helping to build understanding of public perception and local engagement strategies.
Recognition and Awards
A proud moment for the AWE community came when Filippo Treviso won the prestigious EAWE Young Doctor Award 2025. The title of his dissertation, focused on AWE systems, was read aloud to the audience, marking a high-visibility success for the field. Additionally, Erik Fritz, a close collaborator of Jelle Poland and colleague of Prof. Schmehl, was named a finalist for his contributions to wind tunnel experimentation.
These accolades represent not only individual achievement but also a broader step forward for AWE in gaining academic and public recognition.
A collective effort
Special thanks go to Roland Schmehl (TU Delft), Alessandro Croce (POLIMI), and Franziska Hein (University of Stuttgart) for their outstanding work in organising and coordinating the AWE sessions. Their collective efforts ensured a high-quality programme and strong visibility for the AWE sector at one of the year’s most important wind energy gatherings.