Uwe Ahrens graduated in Aerospace Engineering from Technical University Berlin. In 1989, he founded the medical company aap Implantate AG for which he acted as long-time CEO. Having established a patent basis for a rail-based airborne wind energy conversion technology, he founded NTS Energy Systems in 2007. In 2012, the company successfully demonstrated the core functionality on a linear test section.Foreword:  Markus Hecht graduated in Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen. After his PhD he worked in the railway industry in Switzerland until he became Professor for Rail vehicles at TU Berlin 1997. Main research topics of his group are energy efficiency and energy recovery.

• Foreword.- Introduction.- Historical Outline.- General presentation of wind energy (quality, frequency, energy density, windows of wind, wind directions, weather influences).-  Basic differences of the wind utilization concepts.- Classification of conventional wind energy use.- Classification of high-altitude wind energy utilization.- Overview of the players.- Presentation of the technology approaches.- Overview of the investors.- Production potential.- Economic effects.- Ecological effects.- Energy balances.-  Material balances.- Evaluation matrix.- Future potential.- List of market participants.- Collection of icons (downloadable).- Overview of abbreviations.- List of sources.