SMART Turbine

The SMART Turbine is a hydro-powered generator capable of producing up to 5000 watts of clean electrical power from the kinetic energy of flowing waters. As the turbine is powered by kinetic energy and not with potential energy, it is also known as a “zero-head” or “in-stream” turbine. As such, no dams are necessary for the operation of this device. The course of a river remains unchanged and no large investments in infrastructure are required.

More cost-effective than diesel generators, the SMART Turbine operates on a low-cost per kilowatt basis making it not only ideal for industrialized countries, but also for decentralized electrification in emerging countries. To tackle specific problems of decentralized electrification, the product comes with an intelligent electrical management system allowing for a simple and efficient load management which is necessary for the implementation of micro grids.

For optimum operation, the SMART Turbine must be placed in a river or canal with at least two meters of depth, three meters of width and a flow rate of 1.2 meters per second. While the system does not require advanced technical expertise for operation or maintenance, occasional cleaning is necessary.

In developing regions, rural communities often rely on costly and unsustainable diesel generators for electrification. Solar power is partly replacing diesel engines, but requires expensive battery storage capacities. The SMART Turbine was developed to generate base-load electricity supplies to overcome these problems. With the availability of energy in rural areas, populations' productivity increases, which allows for their integration into local and national economies.

Publicly available: yes
Countries where available: Worldwide
Price range (USD): Contact supplier for quote