Project description
A small energy generator for rivers
The European Commission set ambitious goals for a drastic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the next decades. However, it is still difficult to establish constant renewable energy production for every area in the EU. A considerable part of rivers is not exploited due to the lack of proper technology for hydropower extraction from low-head or low-velocity rivers. The EU-funded ELVER project proposes a small generator for rivers that is based on a larger 1 MW tidal energy converter developed by the French Eel Energy. The solution consists of an undulating membrane that produces energy through linear converters and has more reliable and more effective performance when compared to turbines while reducing costs of installation and operation.
Objective
An accelerated adoption of renewable energy generation is needed to meet the ambitious but necessary goals for low-carbon economy set by the European Commission (80% reduction from 1990 greenhouse emissions to 2050), and the G7 (elimination of fossil fuel generation to 2100). Despite good progress, it is still difficult to create a stable renewable energy generation mix, and to provide solutions that can reach all locations and communities in Europe, including remote communities. Significant parts of rivers worldwide remain an untapped energy resource, due to the lack of appropriate technology for hydro power extraction from remote/environmentally sensitive locations, or those with low-head, current velocity, or depth.
Eel Energy, a French hydrotech startup, has developed a 1MW tidal energy converter based on biomimetic principles. Eel’s solution is an undulating membrane producing energy via linear converters, which significantly outperforms turbine-based technology in terms of simplicity, reliability, efficiency and environmental footprint. Eel Energy is now developing the ELVER (baby eel), a small (80kW), riverine-adapted version of their tidal generator. Compared with standard turbine solutions, ELVER will be able to reach higher efficiency and reliability, operate at lower heads and current velocities, and require far less civil works: reducing installation, operations costs, and environmental impact of installation. This technology has an unprecedented range of potential installation sites, and can play an important part in the sustainability of rural/remote communities. ELVER allows the development of new hydrokinetic resources, in both mature markets, and the developing world.
In phase 1 of ELVER (6 months), we will characterise and quantify the riverine resources and the key advantages. Secure commercial trials locations, partners and funding for phase 2, and enhance our technical roadmap, roll-out strategy, commercialisation plan, and IP strategy.
Fields of science
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
75007 PARIS
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.