Frequently Asked Questions

The regular price of the river turbine is $12,500 (Canadian dollars).

In the majority of cases, an authorization is required for the installation of a river turbine, depending on the location of the installation site and on the regulations in force in the area. The decision to go through the authorization process is at the customer’s discretion. Idénergie will provide information documents about authorization procedures in certain jurisdictions to assist customers who wish to make an authorization request. For additional fees, Idénergie also offers a customized support program to guide clients through the authorization request process.

The river turbine package includes:

• The river turbine
• Stainless steel anchorage and cable
• 15-metre (49-foot) underwater electric cable
• Water-ground junction box
• Base
• Built-in converter
• Transportation and installation in certain cases (for 2015, the installation is free of charge for sites located less than 250 km (155 miles) away from Montreal. Travel expenses will be charged beyond this distance.)

Besides the river turbine, Idénergie also offers batteries and electric equipment for a complete, turnkey installation. Depending on their needs, customers should expect additional fees starting at $3 500. This type of system is also compatible with other renewable energy systems (solar panels and wind turbines).

This price includes:

• Charge controller
• 10-kWh batteries*
• 1 500 W 48-VDC to 120-VAC inverter*

* It is possible to increase the number of batteries and the capacity of the inverter

Optional:

• Installation and personal safety kit: safety jacket, waders, cleats, harness, carabiners, ascender, neoprene gloves, single rope, knife, helmet, anchoring pin
• Marine safety kit: warning buoy placed upstream of the river turbine, 'river turbine 100 m ahead' sign and flexible flags to place over the river turbine.
• Bidirectional voltage-lowering inverted (48VDC to 24 VDC) used in the following cases:
  1. The distance between the river turbine and the electrical panel is over 400 m
  2. You wish to lower the voltage to use a 12 V / 24 V system
  3. You wish to connect several river turbines together (one for each river turbine)
• Marine-grade electric cable (maximum length of 1000 m/3 281 ft)
• Anodizing for salt water

The warranties are the following:

• Internal components of the river turbine’s generator casing: three (3) years.
• 3-month parts and (in-shop) labour warranty on all other components. Components include all components free from manufacturing and material defects in normal conditions of use and operation.
• Any equipment supplied to the customer not made by Idénergie Inc. is covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty (subject to certain conditions).

Most batteries are generally guaranteed for five (5) years. This varies depending on the manufacturer.

It is important to note that people connected to the local electricity grid, Idénergie’s river turbine is generally not a competitive alternative, taking into account the long-term return on investment as well as the cost of the generated kWh. In some cases, it is also possible to resell the energy produced by a renewable energy system or be credited for it. The various net metering programs vary depending on the area, please check with your local power company for more details.

If your residence or establishment is isolated from the local electricity grid, powering it can be expensive. In certain cases it is necessary to plan for at least $50,000 by kilometre of distance to the closest electric pole. In these conditions, more and more people turn to renewable energy to meet their electricity needs. In this case, Idénergie’s river turbine is an ideal option as well as an excellent investment compared to gasoline-powered generators.

Idénergie’s mission is to improve people’s access to a renewable energy source: the river. The objective is to generate energy while being environment-friendly, not create a new problem.

Alden Research Laboratory in the United States has conducted studies on a Darrieus-type turbine similar profile to the one used by Idénergie, which showed that the impact on aquatic wildlife was extremely low. Tests on fishes in a closed flume led to the conclusion that the majority of fish avoided the turbine similar to the one used by Idénergie. For those that did penetrate it, no significant impact was observed. Consequently, there is no evidence that the river turbine is a hazard for aquatic life. After careful consideration, Fisheries and Oceans Canada considers that Idénergie river turbine, under its current characteristics, can be used in streams without danger.

(Source: American Department of the Energy and Fish and Oceans Canada, “Turbine Passage survival estimates for the Dunvegan hydroelectric project”, Stephan V. Amaral, Alden Research Lab et “Fish passage at small hydro sites, IEA technical report”)

A minimum water depth of 60 cm (2 ft) and a current velocity from 1 to 3 m/s are necessary to use the river turbine. Rivers that meet these features are potential installation sites for the turbine.

The river turbine may be dismantled, facilitating its transport to the most remote places of our planet. It can be used all around the world if the conditions of the site are suitable. Contact us to know if a distributor is available in your region.

Every river and site is unique. The use of the river turbine in the winter season depends on the depth of the river and on the current velocity. If the site meets the right criteria and the river does not freeze, the river turbine can work efficiently. We are in the process of developing new solutions to ensure that the river turbine can work in conditions of extreme cold.

The river turbine generates between 100 and 500 W of continuous power, which is 2 to 12 kWh of energy per day (depending on current velocity). The output voltage of the river turbine is 48 V DC.

The faster the river current, the more energy the river turbine generates. It works in currents velocities ranging from 1 to 3 m/s. Even at minimal current velocity, the energy accumulated in batteries is enough for powering standard electric appliances typically found in a residence such as lighting, a television, a refrigerator, a computer, a microwave, etc. On the other hand, electric heaters or water heaters are more energy-consuming and require more energy that the turbine can supply.

Idénergie offers the only solution on the market allowing to power an off-grid residence simply from the flow of a shallow river. Several river turbines can be used in network to supply more electricity to power, for example, an isolated community with low energy consumption.

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