Hydrovolts was founded in 2007 as a result of the founders directing a study examining the hydrokinetic potential of tidal systems in the Pacific Northwest.  The study concluded that hydrokinetics was a promising field, but the environmental regulations and permitting burdens surrounding natural waterways were insurmountable at a large scale.

The company’s founders thus focused on artificial waterways and developed the Flipwing prototype for irrigation canals in 2009, the year the company first received funding.  In the intervening years, the company has raised over $3M, which it has used to hone its technology, pursue four patents to protect its revolutionary approach to micro hydropower, and develop waterfall and canal turbines. These two product lines are representative of a broader portfolio of products Hydrovolts has in its development pipeline, and are based upon the same design principles – standardized product, scalable manufacturing, easy installation, and reliable power generation – to deliver cost-effective micro hydropower.

The turbine is delivered ready to “plug and play,” with a power output that can be directly plugged into the load or wired for net metering. It has also been engineered for easy “drop-in”installation – no dams or construction needed. Our smaller turbines can be generating power in less than an hour.

Case Study: West Sound Utility District

Case Study: Roza Canal

Cost Effective:

Hydrokinetic turbines are significantly more cost effective than other small-scale renewable solutions, like wind or solar.

• Lower cost per kWh: The turbine produces power as long as water flows. Its capacity factor is much greater than wind or solar, and therefore the cost per generated kWh is much lower.
• Lower installation costs: Our turbine can be dropped in place, requiring only connection to an inverter and the ultimate power load. In contrast, solar and wind sites must undergo expensive and lengthy processes for planning, permitting, engineering and construction.
• Reliable power equals reliable savings: The Hydrovolts turbine generates energy as long as the water flows. Constructed waterways have managed flows, making power generation completely predictable, unlike intermittent wind and solar power.

Two product lines

Hydrovolts offers two classes of turbines: Waterfall Turbine (WF-10-15)  and  Canal Turbine (C-12). Each of these turbines were designed using the Hydrovolts methodology of modular turbines optimized for the target environment that can be quickly and easily installed singly or in groups to maximize power output.

The WF-10-15 Waterfall Turbine: This 15 kW waterfall turbine  is specifically designed to capture the energy in spillways or outflows in municipal or industrial plants without affecting plant operations. The turbine can be deployed in vertical drops or angled falls.  The WF-10-15 offers an easy and efficient way to capture energy and save significant money on electricity costs.

The C-12 Canal Turbine: These zero-head canal turbines can capture the energy in moving water, producing up to 12kW per turbine without requiring significant engineering infrastructure or dams.  Some customers with long and fast waterways will be able to deploy multiple turbines and generate utility-scale renewable energy.

Hydrovolts turbines create dependable, renewable, inexpensive power wherever water flows.  Let us help you evaluate whether a Hydrovolts solution will work for you.