First biomimetic tidal turbine in Rhône river gives glimpse of future fluvial clean energy farms

August 1, 2023, by Amir Garanovic

French company EEL Energy has deployed its biomimetic tidal energy turbine in the Rhône river near Lyon – the first of four planned – foreshadowing the future where fluvial clean energy farms make a significant contribution to decarbonization and diversification of power generation mix.

Built as a floating device, EEL Energy’s technology captures kinetic energy from rivers or tidal currents near the water surface where the highest water velocity is typically found.

The company’s tidal energy converter has been designed to replicate the undulating movements of marine life, consisting of a membrane that optimizes energy transfer by coupling fluid flow with an undulating structure.

Energy is converted along the whole length of the membrane surface which undulates under moving fluid pressure, and this periodic motion is transformed into electricity by an electromechanical system.

After periods of extensive testing, EEL Energy has hit the newest milestone with the deployment of its power generation system in the river Rhône, near Lyon in France.

The device, launched on July 5, 2023, was then towed from the Édouard-Herriot port in Lyon to its final deployment site, located between the communes of Caluire-et-Cuire and Villeurbanne.

Rated between 30-50kW, the tidal energy converter has immediately been connected to the grid as the site already had the connection infrastructure available, without the need for any additional works.

According to Franck Sylvain, CEO of EEL Energy, the device is currently undergoing final adjustments before becoming fully functional with increased production capacity.

The tidal energy converter has already started producing power, achieving 8kW in current velocities of 1.8 m/s, Sylvain confirmed.

“The first results are as expected and we should have 20kW at 2.1 m/s current velocity, and 30kW at 2.4-2.5 m/s. I am pleased to complete the deployment and connection operation of the device, and I hope that we will increase the production as anticipated,” Sylvain said.

The permit for the deployment of the turbine was issued to EEL Energy in May 2023 by the French navigation authority Voies navigables de France (VNF). It also includes the authorization to deploy three additional turbines on the site.

EEL Energy said earlier it plans to gradually deploy the additional turbines to form a four-device in-river tidal energy farm.

The main goal of the project is to carry out full-scale technical tests of these new types of tidal turbines before considering deployment in the long term on other river sites, but also marine energy sites in France or in developing countries.

The electricity produced from the project, which will be injected into the French power grid, is expected to amount to 400MWh – the equivalent of the consumption of 100 households.

EEL Energy’s chief also unveiled that the plan is to keep the devices on site for 10 years.