HARNESS WATER'S KINETIC ENERGY TO CREATE ELECTRICITY
TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
It's in the Water
The movement of the world’s water – whether in open water or inland – provides a vast store of kinetic energy, which can be harnessed to generate electricity.
An unprecedented opportunity exists to capture untapped in-stream resources that were previously unattainable in canals, rivers and marine environments.
Instream’s technology creates a cost-competitive renewable energy source with minimal environmental impact, resulting in a smarter way to generate clean electricity for renewable power projects.
Instream is developing a complete hydrokinetic power solution consisting of groupings (or “arrays”) of vertical axis hydrokinetic turbines (VAHTs), simple, low-cost devices that convert the kinetic energy in moving water into electricity.
Our technology has the ability to produce energy without the need for dams, diversions, or reservoirs. This allows for a water-based renewable energy source with minimal environmental disruption at a lower cost of engineering, simpler construction and maintenance, less safety risk, and reduced regulatory issues.
Instream’s pilot projects have provided valuable insight into the interactions between multiple turbines. The data obtained will allow Instream to optimize multi-turbine arrays.
A Better Solution – Hydrokinetic Power Generation
The Engineered Advantage
Instream’s versatile technology is applicable in both inland water and near-shore tidal applications inaccessible to conventional technologies. The use of smaller turbines and standardized support structures allow for commoditization and cost-effective deployment and maintenance. Networking devices together allows projects to scale to any size.
Floating systems are more cost-effective by simplifies deployment. Instream’s turbines have the drivetrain and electronics above water which reduces risk of failure and improves access for maintenance.
Technology Highlights
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BAE Systems high efficiency design
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16% greater output in array configurations
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Third party validated
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Fully-owned, proprietary IP
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Globally patented
Instream Energy Systems technology provides a breakthrough approach to clean power generation that unlocks vast untapped in-stream and tidal resources that were previously unattainable.
The Instream solution produces power for energy consumers such as commercial, residential, agricultural or public facilities. Utility-scale projects install multiple Turbine Deployment Units which network together to create a Turbine Array at a given location. At the utility scale, hydrokinetic energy facilities generate a large amount of electricity for transmission from a near-shore tidal energy or in-stream river site to power users through the grid.
APPLICATIONS
Pioneering VAHTs for Under-Utilized Waterways
Canal
Constructed canals and aqueducts provide an opportunity to use existing infrastructure for power generation. Canals can be found throughout the world and contain large amounts of untapped clean power. Instream turbines are proven to have no impact on canals or affect the water flow speeds or volumes. Many canals are concrete lined creating high water velocities.
River
Rivers provide an optimal environment for Instream technology without damming or diversion. Instream turbines are safe to deploy in sensitive environments including fisheries habitats, and suited for shared waterways as the turbines can be installed in varying configurations that will not interfere with recreation or navigational uses.
Marine
Instream bi-directional turbines convert the power of ocean currents to produce electricity. Instream turbines are safe for use in sensitive marine environments and can be placed in tidal inlets, open ocean and coastal estuaries.
Turbines in Action
Hydrokinetic conversion systems are like “windmills in the water” producing renewable electricity by harnessing the kinetic energy of moving water.
The three hydrofoil arms of the rotor turn a generator to produce electricity. Hydrofoils take advantage of a lift force, like airplane wings, turning the rotor faster than the water flow. Our cross-flow design produces power on both the ebb and the flow of the tide without a need of a orienting mechanism.
Water is 800x more dense than air and therefore, the world’s free-flowing rivers, waterways, and tidal currents represent a powerful, highly-concentrated, and largely untapped clean energy resource.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Instream System Features
BAE Patented Design
Original rotor design with continuing improvements to meet diverse operating conditions.
Simple
Standard vertical-axis turbines, mounting platforms, mooring systems, and pre-fabricated deployment structures reduce engineering complexity and allow for easy and fast project deployment.
Scalable
Modular approach provides flexibility in scaling energy and financing requirements. Standardized power generation blocks can be added to achieve desired project size on a financing timeline.
Cost-Effective
Smaller turbine generators and standardized support structures allow for commoditization and cost-effective maintenance. Installations in canal and river systems maximize existing energy infrastructure.
Low-Maintenance
Drivetrain and electronics are above water, reducing corrosion and complications from marine environments.
Bi-directional Versatility
Predictable performance in both inland water and marine tidal applications. Flexible installations including bathymetric conditions inaccessible to conventional technologies.
Reliable
Multi-turbine arrays of power generating units creates redundancy from a breakdown. Arrays can be configured to adapt to changing water conditions on daily or seasonal basis.
Hydrokinetics are forecasted to capture as much as 15% of the global electricity market by 2030 contributing to global decarbonization of the energy sector.
Proven to be safe to fish habitats, Instream turbines are deployable in canals, dam tail-races, rivers, and tidal streams to provide predictable, emissions-free, electricity from a renewable source. With a growing number of countries legislating their national energy strategy to achieve net-zero by 2050, we believe that the market potential for our field-proven solution is rapidly expanding.