Idénergie, a renewable energy clean-tech private company based in Montreal, Québec, has designed an innovative portable river turbine that can power off-grid properties such as vacation homes, campers, cabins, and RVs, as well as remote villages. The best part is that its installation does not need heavy machinery or cranes. One just needs to lift the rig, and anchor it to a river bed and on its sides.
Once the portable turbine is underwater, it starts generating electricity from the river’s natural flow. The river current leads to spinning movement in the turbine, activating its 100-percent waterproof electrical generator. The harnessed energy further turns into electricity through an integrated smart converter.
Image: Idénergie
The device can daily produce up to 12 kWh, which is sufficient power to meet the energy needs of a small home. Even at its minimum capacity, the turbine can generate enough electricity to power basic electrical devices in homes – such as a TV, computer, refrigerator, and lighting.
However, at its maximum velocity, this river turbine can generate electricity equivalent to about 12 solar panels with 250-watt power capacity. If there’s a requirement for even higher power, install multiple turbines and connect them to the same battery bank.
Image: Idénergie
Image: Digital Trends
Thanks to the low maintenance design of this turbine, it can work well even in low-velocity flows and shallow depths. Moreover, the built-in converter offers many other additional features like constant power optimization, self-starting turbine, emergency brake, and remote monitoring capabilities.
With the creation of this portable turbine, Idénergie wanted to create a small-scale device based on bioclimatic principles to meet the energy needs of a small home. Considering several studies on ecosystems and turbines, the company decided to use various-type turbines. What makes this turbine type so special is that it does not cause any harm to marine life.
Image: Idénergie
The materials used to make this device are renewable in nature – like aluminum – making the device easy to recycle after it’s no longer needed for further operations. Hence, it poses no harm to the environment. Moreover, the energy production of this turbine guarantees around 50 percent of annual savings on the maintenance cost compared to other gasoline-powered generators.
Image: Digital Trends
Image: Idénergie
Via: Designboom