The DP Renewables project set out to develop, demonstrate and commercialise a range of economically viable, innovative and proven HydroKinetic turbines that will enable users to exploit the huge potential of clean, predictable energy in the world’s rivers, canals and estuaries. DP Renewables carried out the design, fabrication and testing of 2 novel hydrokinetic turbines, as well as definition of a detailed business plan for commercial launch and private investment.
The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 766499 and began 1st July 2017 lasting a total of 33 months, ending 31st March 2020. The entire project was managed and implemented by sole beneficiary and project coordinator DesignPro Ltd, an Irish company based County Limerick.
The project had 2 key outputs: namely the design, build and deployment of a 25Kw unit and also a 60Kw unit, both of which were achieved and demonstrated to TRL 8 during the project. The 25Kw unit was successfully installed at a dedicated, special-purpose test site called SEENEOH on the River Garonne in Bordeaux, France. The 60Kw unit was deployed and tow-tested just outside Kirkwall harbour in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.
These 2 full-scale deployments were huge milestones for the project and the company’s pathway to commercialisation of the solutions. Thanks to very proactive branding, promotion and communication efforts, DP Renewables received much interest and promotion from local communities, sales leads, potential partners, investors and press and media. The company is now well on its way to commercialisation with a number of commercial projects in the pipeline and a clear business and investment plan outlined for final funding and resources needed to get across the final step from TRL 8 to TRL 9.
The successful demonstrations of two highly innovative hydrokinetic turbines created awareness among a broad range of audiences of the potential these solutions can add to the renewable energy mix. DP Renewables has validated that these systems can enable the world to generate clean, predictable energy from our flowing water resources, most of which remain largely untapped. This clean energy technology can increasingly support displacement of diesel or natural gas fuelled power generation to de-carbonise the energy mix. It provides a hydro-based technology that does not require invasive damming of water flows, improving power generation sustainability in accordance with EU and international sustainability objectives.
Thanks to the results of this project, DP Renewables has shown that hydrokinetic energy can be a valuable contributor to the EU’s 2050 vision of a zero-carbon economy.
