HydroWheel Product and Business Case Development

HydroWheel是世界上第一个充气水车，它漂浮在河流和小溪上，产生负担得起的、可获得的可再生能源，对当地生态系统的破坏较小。它强调更低的成本，耐用性，易于安装和连续发电。该创新在撒哈拉以南非洲的商业和影响潜力因该地区丰富的水力资源而进一步增强，该地区的装机容量估计为30.4吉瓦;离网可再生能源系统的部署是一个具有成本效益的解决方案，预计将大大有助于满足电力需求，推动撒哈拉以南非洲的经济增长和工业化，减少贫困。该项目将确定HydroWheel如何商业化和优化其创新设计，以提供替代方案。这些技术可以与现有的可再生能源技术（包括传统的微微水电、太阳能光伏、柴油发电机）相结合（或互补），并最终满足整个撒南非洲（从乌干达开始）服务不足社区的电力需求。该项目特别致力于了解、测试并最终销售给促进生产性使用电力的细分市场，进一步促进农村地区的经济发展、创造就业机会和提高生产力。Hydrowheel Ltd将：完善水轮的设计，优化水轮口袋（桨），并研究其是否适合在撒哈拉以南非洲的小型纺织车间制造;与经验丰富的水轮机制造商一起优化规格并采购合适的发电机和齿轮箱; CREEC将负责乌干达的试点项目开发阶段，包括文献综述、社区参与、（初步协商和当地社区调查）、未来项目范围界定、初步地点筛选，设计一个试点项目，进行技术实地研究，最后进行环境和社会影响评估。GIS工具，用于调查目标区域的河谷，确定符合项目“潜力”定义的地点，并提供市场和行业知识，以支持商业计划的制定，并促进研究。挑战Catalyst和Challenges Uganda将支持HydroWheel制定可行的商业化战略，以利用创新。这将包括关键活动，如滩头市场的市场规模;微观细分和与关键客户关系的发展;确定国内价值链整合和创造机会;商业和金融建模以及市场战略制定。

Floating across rivers and streams to generate affordable, accessible renewable energy with less damage to the local ecosystem, HydroWheel is the world's first inflatable waterwheel. It emphasises lower costs, durability, easy installation and continuous power production. The innovation's commercial and impact potential in sub-Saharan Africa is further enhanced by the region's abundant hydro resources, where the installed capacity is estimated at 30.4 GW; 300 GW potential remains untapped.The deployment of off-grid renewable energy systems is a cost-effective solution expected to contribute significantly to satisfying power needs, driving economic growth and industrialisation and reducing poverty throughout sub-Saharan Africa.This project will determine how HydroWheel can commercialise and optimise the design of its innovation to provide an alternative (or complementary) technology to incumbent renewable energy technologies (including conventional pico-hydro, solar PV, diesel generators) and ultimately satisfy the electricity needs of under-served communities throughout SSA (starting with Uganda). This project is particularly determined to understand, test and ultimately sell to market segments that promote the productive use of electricity, further catalysing economic development, employment creation and productivity enhancements in rural areas.Hydrowheel Ltd will: hone the design of the waterwheel, optimising the waterwheel pockets (paddles) and examining their suitability for manufacture in small textile workshops in sub-Saharan Africa; optimising specification and sourcing suitable generators and gearboxes in conjunction with an experienced waterwheel manufacturer; and running a small-scale trial and then larger trial in Knoydart, Scotland.CREEC will be responsible for the Pilot Project Development phase in Uganda that involves literature review, community engagement (initial consultation and surveys of local communities), future project scoping, initial location screening, designing a pilot project and conducting technical field studies and finally conducting environmental and social impact assessments.MicroGen will use its "ISMO" GIS tool to survey river valleys in the target areas, identifying sites which conform to the project's definition of 'potential' and provide market and industry knowledge to support business plan development, and to facilitate research.Challenges Catalyst and Challenges Uganda will support HydroWheel to create a viable commercialisation strategy to exploit the innovation. This will include key activities such as market sizing of beachhead market; micro-segmentation and development of relationships with key customers; identifying in-country value chain integration and creation opportunities; business and financial modelling and route to market strategising.