NEW BEDFORD, MA, Oct. 7, 2015 -- The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) recently announced that it has given an award to Littoral Power Systems Inc. (LPS), a
renewable power technology developer based in New Bedford, Mass., to help advance
hydropower research and design techniques. The EERE funding opportunity was established under the organization's Water Power Program through the Wind and Water Technologies Office. A total of $6.5 million was awarded to seven different organizations.
Through a partnership with Alden Research Laboratory, Inc., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. (GZA), University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, LPS will utilize the award to develop its preliminary design for modular prefabricated
dam, spillway and powerhouse sections and installation techniques. The idea is to give rise to low-impact hydropower installations that can be easily removed at the end of their service lives with minimal ecological impacts and allow developers to significantly improve the economics of projects.
Once a full-sized prototype is developed, the engineering team will validate structural integrity,
leak resistance and ease of installation. The technology has the potential to reduce construction and maintenance times and costs. "We are excited to enlist the DOE's support to advance our hydropower technologies that are easy to deploy, highly cost effective and with very low environmental impacts," said LPS CEO David Duquette. "Our systems will allow developers to build hydropower installations that are easily permitted and economically attractive."
About Littoral Power Systems Littoral Power Systems Inc. recently relocated to Massachusetts from New Jersey. Founded in 2014 by industry veterans, the company was formed to develop ocean hydrokinetic power and inland hydropower through innovative, cost effective techniques. The company believes that harvesting clean energy from currents and waves offers exceptional promise, but only if it can be done in a commercially viable and ecologically sound manner. For more information, visit
www.littoralpower.com.
