Imagine dropping a compact, three-bladed propeller into a flowing river or canal — no dam needed — and it quietly generates electricity. That's HyKinetics: a 20 kW micro turbine that harvests energy from water that's already moving. Think of it like a small underwater wind turbine. The Italian company behind it built and tested five working units at real sites, aiming for electricity costs that rival large hydropower plants and solar panels.
Millions of kilometers of rivers and canals carry enormous kinetic energy that goes completely unharvested because traditional hydropower requires expensive dams and causes significant environmental disruption. Existing large hydropower plants leave energy on the table in their downstream canals. Meanwhile, remote communities worldwide still lack affordable, low-impact electricity generation options.
A patented 3-blade axial micro hydroelectric turbine rated at 20 kW, designed for direct installation in rivers and canals without dams. Five working prototypes were manufactured, installed at real testing sites, and validated, with documented test results and certification work for commercial readiness.
If you are a hydropower plant operator looking to squeeze more output from existing infrastructure — this project developed a 20 kW axial turbine that installs in canals downstream of your dam. According to project data, it can increase your plant's production by more than 5%. Applied across all EU28 hydropower plants, that adds up to 17 TWh/year of additional generation.
If you are an energy provider serving remote communities without grid access — this project built a compact river turbine that works without any dam or waterfall. It installs directly in flowing rivers with very limited visual and environmental impact. The project targets a rural electrification market potential of up to 40 billion euros.
If you manage irrigation canals or water distribution networks with constant water flow going to waste — this project created a micro hydropower turbine specifically designed for canal installations. It generates 20 kW per unit with minimal environmental footprint, turning your existing water infrastructure into an electricity source without disrupting water delivery.
The project does not disclose unit pricing. However, the objective states that HyKinetics achieves a Cost of Electricity comparable with large hydro plants, solar photovoltaic, biomass, and geothermal — meaning it targets grid-competitive pricing in the micro hydropower segment under 100 kW.
Yes. The project identifies a Total Available Market of 12.2 GW in Europe for canal installations downstream of existing hydropower plants alone, representing a potential turnover of 26.8 billion euros. The rural electrification segment adds up to 40 billion euros in market potential.
The objective explicitly states that HyKinetics is patented. The technology is owned by COS.B.I. Costruzione Bobine Italia S.R.L., an Italian SME. Licensing or purchase arrangements would need to be negotiated directly with them.
The project planned to manufacture 5 prototypes and install them at real testing sites that were already selected. A demo deliverable confirms validation test results were produced. The project ran from 2020 through mid-2023 and is now closed.
The objective acknowledges that river applications face stringent environmental constraints. HyKinetics was specifically designed for very limited visual and environmental impact. The project also targeted certifications needed for commercialization, though specific permits depend on national regulations.
The entry market strategy is specifically canal installations downstream of existing dam-based hydroelectric power stations. This means it adds to your current setup rather than replacing anything. The project validated this approach through discussions and agreements with large hydropower plant owners.
This is a lean, fully industrial consortium of just 2 Italian SME partners with no universities or research institutes — a strong signal that the project is commercially driven rather than academic. The 100% industry ratio and SME composition, combined with SME Instrument Phase 2 funding, means the team was focused on getting a product to market, not publishing papers. The coordinator COS.B.I. is an Italian manufacturing company specializing in coil and electrical component construction, which gives them in-house capability to build the generator units. The small consortium size kept decision-making fast, though it limits geographic market access beyond Italy without additional partners.
COS.B.I. Costruzione Bobine Italia S.R.L. is an Italian SME — contact details likely available through their company website or LinkedIn. SciTransfer can facilitate introductions.
Want to evaluate HyKinetics for your hydropower assets or canal infrastructure? SciTransfer can arrange a technical briefing with the development team and provide a compatibility assessment for your specific sites.
