Objective
The lif-E-Buoy project is a facility using the hydrokinetic energy of running water as a clean energy source for charging of electrical road vehicles (cars, bicycles, etc.) and provide noise and emission free electricity output for other applications such as large cruiser boats or for freight vessels stopping in city centres as a good alternative to running their generators.
Willisits Engineering Ltd. was established in 2009 to develop world-class electric vehicle drive systems and other innovative technologies. A few years ago we started the development of an underwater river power plant system (hydro generator) and in 2016 we built a prototype and demonstrated its operation in a relevant environment (river – TRL6). The development was a success but due to limited resources and other developments the commercialisation of it was put on hold.
Recently we have received interest from companies who approached us with application areas for our technology. Namely, to use our hydro generator for the charging of electronic vehicles and to provide power for infrastructures located near (or on) rivers. Based on this interest we carried out an initial market study and found that there is serious potential to use our existing results and focus it on this new application.
We have decided to apply for SME Instrument Phase 1 funding to carry out a feasibility study in order to strengthen our initial findings and based on the outcome proceed for Phase 2 to produce the first commercial hydro powered electric vehicle charging station.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologycivil engineeringurban engineeringsmart cities
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energy
- social sciencessocial geographytransportelectric vehicles
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryhydrocarbons
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.4. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
- H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
2870 KISBER
Hungary
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.