Imagine capturing the tiny vibrations caused by water flowing through a pipe, similar to how a reed shakes in a stream. This technology turns those shakes into electricity using special materials. It allows sensors in remote water networks to power themselves without needing batteries.
Water utilities struggle to power sensors in remote or isolated pipes and channels, leading to high battery replacement costs and limited digitalization of infrastructure.
A vortex-induced-vibration (VIV) energy harvester and a suite of 1D multi-physics models. They also created an open-source DIY platform and online calculators for energy potential.
If you are a municipal operator dealing with the high cost of replacing batteries in remote sensors — this project developed a vortex-induced-vibration harvester that provides autonomous power for monitoring devices.
If you are a pipeline manager dealing with energy gaps in isolated infrastructure — this project developed a scalable pico-hydropower technology that recovers hidden energy from existing piping systems.
If you are an agency dealing with the difficulty of powering equipment in open channels — this project developed a harvester for open streams that supports digital twins and remote-control equipment.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not provided, but the project focuses on economic sustainability and providing DIY instructions to lower adoption barriers.
Yes, the project aims to develop a scalable pico-hydropower technology validated across 8 different industrial case studies representative of actual water facilities.
The project promotes an open-access and open-source DIY platform to encourage adoption by prosumers and utilities.
The technology is designed to be installed within existing drinking-water networks, wastewater systems, and district heating pipelines without requiring traditional large turbines.
The project period runs from 2022-11-01 to 2026-10-31, indicating it is currently in the development and validation phase.
The consortium is well-balanced for technology transfer, consisting of 14 partners across 9 countries. With a 29% industry ratio (4 industrial partners) and 7 universities, the project bridges the gap between academic multi-physics research and practical utility requirements.
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Contact us to explore licensing the open-source VIV harvester tools.
