Power from the ditch: modular hydropower

Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy worldwide. Yet enormous potential in existing waterways remains unused. Large dams are expensive and harmful to nature. The American-German duo Emily Morris and Thorsten Stoesser is changing this. With their company Emrgy, they have developed a modular turbine that generates electricity in existing canals. For this innovation, they have been nominated for the prestigious European Inventor Award 2026. Their invention makes it possible to generate continuous electricity in an environmentally friendly way. This happens without the need for major changes to the landscape. The award ceremony will take place on July 2, 2026, in Berlin.

Power from slowly flowing water

At the heart of the invention is the so-called Hydro-Transition Unit. This component cleverly directs the water flow in a canal towards itself. As a result, the passage narrows, and the water flows faster through the turbines. Even in shallow and slowly flowing waterways, the system can generate a significant amount of energy. The turbine uses two counter-rotating Darrieus rotors on a vertical axis. This design works extremely well with fluctuating water levels. Each individual module delivers an output of between 10 and 40 kilowatts. Thanks to the modular design, operators can place multiple units one after another in a canal. This makes the setup flexible and scalable. The components are also standardized. This makes production efficient and keeps costs low. Existing concrete canals are thus transformed into active power plants. According to the inventors, this offers opportunities for hundreds of cities worldwide. Installation requires no heavy machinery or major civil engineering works. This sets a very low threshold for local authorities.

No batteries needed for constant power

Solar energy and wind energy are popular sustainable energy sources. However, these sources have one major disadvantage. They only supply electricity when the sun shines or the wind blows. As a result, expensive battery storage is often needed. Emrgy’s modular hydropower plants solve this problem. Water in irrigation canals and drinking water pipelines flows almost continuously. The turbines therefore supply a highly constant flow of electricity to the grid. This ensures a much higher capacity factor than solar panels. As a result, the total cost per kilowatt-hour is highly competitive. Project owners earn back their investment faster without additional battery costs.

The technology is therefore a complement to existing wind and solar farms. It stabilizes the electricity grid naturally. This is a major step forward for the European and global energy transition. It significantly reduces dependence on fossil fuels. Local communities can secure their own energy supply in this way. This increases the economic independence of regions. In addition, water companies' operating costs decrease immediately.