Research Collaboration Greenbug Energy Prof. D. Lubitz NSERC

Greenbug Energy 

Greenbug Energy  Tony Bouk and Brian Weber  Delhi, Ontario  Spun out of Bluestreak Equipment Inc.  Design, manufacture and install Archimedes screw hydro generating stations since 2009

Archimedes Screw Generators The weight of water falling through the screw turns the screw, which turns the generator and produces electricity.

Archimedes Screw Generators  Hundreds of European installations  “New” rapidly growing technology  Average efficiency 69% (Hawle et al., 2012)  34 European sites  Low profile  Fish friendly  Usually integrated in existing structures (wiers, abandoned mills) From:

Archimedes Screws in Ontario  Greenbug Energy (Delhi, Ontario)  7.2 kW Archimedes screw generator commissioned Sept  Installed in existing dam and hydro building  First commercial system in North America  Technology is financially viable  Ontario FIT: 40 year contracts for hydro

Research Partnership w/ Greenbug Prof. David Lubitz  Dynamics of Archimedes screw generators ( ongoing)  Instrumentation of Greenbug prototypes  Testing of small screws in lab  Development of models to optimize screw design  Funding  NSERC: Engage, CRD

Lab Testing

Research Collaboration Funding  Spring 2011  Dr. Lubitz introduced to Greenbug Energy by Business Development Office (now Catalyst Centre)  Fall 2011  NSERC Engage project  $25k – 6 months  Fall 2012  NSERC CRD project  $80k (NSERC 2/3, Greenbug 1/3) – 3 years  Winter 2015  Second NSERC CRD project  $120k (NSERC 2/3, Greenbug 1/3) – 4 years  Greenbug NSERC Projects w/ Other Faculty  Winter 2015 – CRD w/ Garabaghi  Winter 2015 – Engage w/ Taylor

Why CRD Program?  Good leverage of industry money  NSERC will fund $2 for every $1 from company (+ $1 in-kind)  No overhead charged  Came out better than OCE, MITACs  NSERC programs are stable  Success rate relatively high if good company and research case made.

Benefits of the CRD Program  Good leverage of company contributions  Good support from NSERC staff (during application process, and during grant administration)  NSERC is “name brand” funding

Successful Partnerships Need:  The right collaborator: company must be realistic and invested in R&D  Realistic expectations by company and academics  Time investment  Students  Practical yet research-driven problems.  NSERC needs to see real research  Company needs useful results

W. D. Lubitz, Associate Professor School of Engineering, University of Guelph  Recent Research  Pico hydro and Archimedes screw turbines  Wind turbine design and testing  Greenhouse microclimate  Solar resource models  Contact x54387