WHITE PAPER. ONR BAA Announcement # Department of the Navy Rapid Innovation Fund. Hydrovolts, Inc. (CAGE Code: 5ENT7)

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1 WHITE PAPER ONR BAA Announcement # Department of the Navy Rapid Innovation Fund Hydrovolts, Inc. (CAGE Code: 5ENT7) Title: Hydrokinetic Turbines for Renewable Expeditionary Power Tracking Number MARCORP RIF Funds Requested: $1,300,000 Company Technical and Admin POC: Burt Hamner, CEO, Hydrovolts, burt@hydrovolts.com, 210 S Hudson St #330, Seattle, WA 98134, Tel: Target PEO PM EPS Navy Personnel Familiar with Company and Technology Dr. H. Scott Coombe Code 331, ONR Ship Systems and Engineering Division, ONR harold.coombe@navy.mil, (703) Randolph St, Arlington, VA Navy Personnel Familiar with JUON, UON, UUN Col. Robert Charette, Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office robert.j.charette@usmc.mil, (703) Hydrovolts, Inc. hereby affirms that the Project proposed herein has not been proposed to any other DOD-sponsored Rapid Innovation Fund Broad Agency Announcement. Page 1 of 7

2 Project Description: Hydrovolts, Inc. will provide Expeditionary forces a new source of renewable energy in the field that they can use to charge the batteries on which they depend. We will bring to TRL 8 a Portable Hydrokinetic Turbine (PHT) that generates renewable energy from water currents in streams, rivers, canals and tidal channels. This will increase the Enabling Capability for the Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) of Renewable Sustainable Expeditionary Power. The PHT uses water currents to charge batteries for DoD expeditionary forces. It is a man-portable floating turbine. It can be deployed in minutes with ropes in rivers, streams, tidal channels, canals, waterfalls and spillways. Rotating and generating electricity in the water, it is silent, has no heat signature, and proven to be resistant to fouling. Figure 1: Hydrovolts Class I Portable Hydrokinetic Turbine (PHT) The patent-pending PHT is currently at TRL 5 and has been demonstrated power generation of 20 Watts (W) to 4 kilowatts (kw). The Navy (ONR) demonstrated the PHT on Sept 6-8, 2011 at NUWCCD and confirmed that the turbine is man-portable and produces power sufficient to charge batteries used in expeditionary operations. Funding came from USMC P EPS. Hydrovolts designed the PHT for civilian use in artificial water channels such as irrigation canals and water treatment plants. Achieving DoD functionality requires a new Rapid Innovation effort. We propose to advance the technology to DoD TRL 6 7 and then to 8 by repeatedly making and testing turbines using off-the-shelf parts. The project team includes Hydrovolts, Williamson and Associates Inc, (ocean engineering and field ops), Steadyflux Inc (Navy contractors for marine technologies), and the US Bureau of Reclamation (canals for testing turbines). The project will be completed within 18 months with a budget of $1,300,000. Technical Approach The technical approach will build on Hydrovolts existing PHTs designed for civilian use, and innovate for military use, including deployments, portability, mil-spec power; and telecoms. An initial study will validate information about battery-charging needs and logistics of Marines and SpecOps in the field. The required product envelope will determine the system model for component specs. Component engineering will achieve the power specs. Then the complete operational envelope will be addressed. The project will be phased to first achieve TRL 6-7, then a program review, then achieve TRL 8. Hydrovolts subcontractors (Williamson Assoc, Steadyflux, Colmec, KATECH) are experienced Navy contractors and will help manage the project. The team will rapidly build and test turbines, focused on meeting the targets for Page 2 of 7

3 power generation, reliability and ease of use, not optimization. Hydrovolts has full manufacturing facilities available to produce turbines for the project as needed. Operational Need Renewable Sustainable Expeditionary Power (RSEP) is an established Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) for the US Marine Corps and Special Operations. Requirement Number: SOCOM-11-BAA-RIF-0008, Power and Energy. It is managed by ONR. The Hydrovolts technology provides enabling capability (EC) for the JUON to support forwardoperating bases, combat and observation posts, and remote sensors with renewable and selfsustainable energy solutions. The technology is superior to wind and solar power harvesting because it harvests much higher energy per unit mass and generates renewable energy continuously from water currents; it is also silent, invisible, and has no heat signature. The EC transition sponsor is the program manager for Expeditionary Power Systems, Quantico, VA. Cost Reasonableness The proposed work will utilize the Hydrovolts manufacturing and testing facilities staff already in place. The team will be increased in size with new staff working directly for experienced staff. Only commercial off-the-shelf components and materials will be used. Subcontractors proposed already have the necessary equipment and facilities. Field testing of the PHTs will be done within a 200-mile radius of Hydrovolts base in Seattle, Washington. Hydrovolts will conduct one demonstration session at the David Taylor Model Basin. Only 3 days are needed for the demonstrations. Characterization of field operational requirements for PHTs used by the Marines, SpecOps and others will be done by visiting Camp LeJeune in N. Carolina for two weeks. The Camp has diverse environments for using the turbines. Transition Plan The project will engage early with the PM EPS who earlier funded our Navy demo to ensure the military transition plan is effective. Hydrovolts will report to the ONR RSEP Program. POC at ONR is suggested to be Dr. H. Scott Coombe. POC at USMC Expeditionary Energy Office is suggested to be Col. Robert Charrette (cover page has contact info). The Program Office that will be targeted by this RIF project is PM Expeditionary Power Systems. Final testing at TRL 8 will be done at Quantico with participation from ONR and USMC. Hydrovolts main business is turbines for civilian use. Following this RIF project the technology will be rolled into Hydrovolts overall product line and GSA listing. Cost Matching Hydrovolts has already invested over $800,000 in the development of the PHTs. It has achieved working models of all three sizes of PHTs. In September 2011 Hydrovolts paid for transportation of the Class 1 turbine and three staff from Seattle to Bethesda so the Navy could demonstrate the turbine at the David Taylor Model Basin. For this project Hydrovolts will hire one full-time engineer with support systems (computers, software, tools) and one full-time project/contracts manager to support this project. The estimated cost contribution is $210,000. This program will be embedded within Hydrovolts existing commercial turbine development which is funded by investors. Page 3 of 7

4 Program Goals Enhances Military Capability The PHTs developed under this RIF will allow forwarddeployed forces to use renewable, sustainable energy that is continuous (not intermittent and random like wind and solar energy), silent, relatively invisible and has no heat signature. The easy deployment of the PHTs enables rapid base setup. Our goal is a machine that is generating silent renewable power within 30 minutes of deployment. This will increase the capability and duration for expeditionary and covert operations. Accelerates Military Development Capability The project will significantly enhance the capability of the RSEP and Navy to harvest energy from the natural environment. Our novel use of irrigation canals for turbine testing gives DoD an inexpensive and widespread new marine energy generation testing capability. We will identify commercial components which can be used in other Navy marine energy projects. Acquisition Development Cost Reduction The PHTs will be constructed with Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) components and materials, and they can be assembled on production lines. This enables quick cost reduction from large production runs and will significantly reduce the cost of this technology over time. Fielded Systems Sustainment Cost Reduction The turbines will reduce the cost of fuel used to run portable generators. COTS components will enable field systems to be easily maintained through reliable supply chains. The unique Flipwing rotor has already been proven to be highly resistant to fouling by debris, reducing maintenance labor and replacement costs. It is also very easy to repair in the field. Extensive testing of deployment methods will identify the best solutions for rapid deployment and retrieval of equipment with minimal risk. Project Management Plan This project will focus on the operating environments for warfighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The water sources there are usually man-made irrigation canals of various sizes, and wild rivers and streams. Hydrovolts has already used irrigation canals for its turbine testing, and has the USA s only Federal license agreement for such testing, and this will facilitate program management. The operational environment begins with initial mobilization - loading turbines onto vehicles or into backpacks - and continues until the equipment is recovered and re-stocked, lost or made unavailable to the enemy. With detailed knowledge of the application, the engineering team will develop turbine designs with the greatest range and ease of use. Participation by PM EPS and SOCOM will be a major element of project management. The project is embedded within Hydrovolts existing commercial turbine development program. The company has used investor funds to make four functioning turbines of different sizes and prove their performance in tests. The company has nine employees and numerous support contractors and has full capability to implement this RIF project. Because this is Hydrovolts first military project, the administration of the project will be held in a carve out of the company s overall development program, with independent cost accounting, reporting and auditable implementation. The Program Team is well balanced and fully capable. Hydrovolts will be program lead, and will subcontract to Williamson Assoc, Steadyflux, Colmec and KATECH. Those four are experienced Navy contractors for technology development and deployment. The team will work Page 4 of 7

5 closely with ONR and PM EPS throughout the project. This will include quarterly visits to ONR and Quantico to discuss progress and demonstrate components. ONR and PM EPS will also visit (if possible) Hydrovolts team and facilities in Seattle at least once in the first two months of the project. Tasks will include: 1. Establish project advisory team Hydrovolts will ask experts with expeditionary operations in Afghanistan to advise re performance requirements, logistics, deployment and other aspects needed to develop the product to complete readiness. They will review all milestone reports and confirm readiness at TRL transition points. 2. Characterize the operational environment for use of PHTs in water canals in Afghanistan this will be the operational envelope within which performance targets are established. ONR and PM EPS will participate. 3. Design the military system model and component performance specifications. The technology is already at TRL 5 for civilian use, we think this is same start point for military TRL improvement. Hydrovolts will lead the design with contractor input. PM EPS will participate. 4. Improve the hydrokinetic energy harvesting from 15% to 20%. This will be done by rapid modifying the turbine rotors and field testing them. This is faster and more realistic than CFD modeling. Existing rotor research will be evaluated to identify the best improvement options. 5. Improve the power generation from the generator to 85% efficiency at rated RPM. This will be done by Kinetic Arts and Technologies, a generator design firm with Navy experience. 6. Improve the portability of the units to achieve component weight of max 80 lbs. This will be done by Hydrovolts and Steadyflux who have rapid mechanical engineering ability. 7. Improve the deployment of the units to enable deployment in less than15 minutes. This will be done by Williamson Associates whose main business includes marine surveying using towed sonar, they have great boat and shoreside deployment capability. 8. Improve the telecommunications with the units. This will be done by Colmec Engineering who specialize in electrical breadboard and related Navy engineering. They will design, build and test the data acquisition and transmission system to milspecs. 9. Improve the reliability of the system to 99% annual uptime in controlled environment. This will be done by deploying the turbines in local canals for month-long tests then strip down for analysis of wear points etc to prepare Finite Element Analyses. Williamson Assoc will lead this. 10. Design new PHTs to TRL 7 Hydrovolts will be lead designer with contractor input. 11. Build the new PHTs at Hydrovolts facility in Seattle. Hydrovolts will specify the parts to local manufacturers who already build our turbine parts. 12. Demonstrate the PHT performance in controlled environments (irrigation canals) to TRL 6-7. ONR and PM EPS will participate. At least one demonstration will take place at NSWCCD. 13. Develop transition plan to TRL 8. ONR and PM EPS will participate. Page 5 of 7

6 14. Identify and secure operational testing sites. Selection of sites will be done with PM EPS oversight and final approval. 15. Rebuild PHTs similar to 9, 10, 11 above 16. Demonstrate PHTs in operational environments (canals & rivers in Washington) TRL Produce report and transition plan to ONR and PM EPS. The program is expected to take about 18 months to complete with expected cost of approximately $1,300,000. Supplies, equipment and boat charters for field testing are $200,000. Travel is $40,000. Hydrovolts will contribute $210,000 in labor. Regular consultations with a project advisory team will guide the project to ensure the RIF program transitions to a PoR and to a commercialization plan for production. The turbines are suitable for inclusion on the GSA procurement list for Federal agencies and that goal will be incorporated into program management. Supporting Stakeholders Hydrovolts has received strong interest for its PHTs from NOAA, the Coast Guard, the US Geological Survey, the US Bureau of Reclamation, and persons in 43 countries so far. The US Coast Guard is now implementing a hydrokinetic turbine demonstration project in Maine in a marine site. The US Bureau of Reclamation has granted a Federal License Agreement to Hydrovolts to use a Federal water canal as a test and demonstration site for turbines. Navy interest in this technology is well-established. The Navy published 2011 SBIR Phase 1 topic N , Autonomously deployed energy harvesting system in coastal and riverine environment. The ONR is currently funding the University of Missouri Rolla in a comprehensive hydrokinetic technology devopment program focused on rivers and other water channels. In 2011 ONR published SBIR Topic Number N : Person-Portable Micro- Hydropower System. Hydrovolts applied for but did not receive a Phase 1 award for this topic. Reviewers were concerned with effects of debris on turbines. This problem of course affects any turbine. The Hydrovolts design is proven to be remarkably able to clear itself of debris. The Page 6 of 7

7 Class 1 turbine operated in the Roza Canal for 30 days in 2011 without fouling of the rotor, though the anchor ropes were constantly entangled by debris. The Hydrovolts innovative turbine works in real conditions and now RIF is needed to make it military-grade. This project will have spin-off benefits to the Navy for improving capabilities for remote sensing. The Navy uses many remote sensors in the ocean that need batteries. The power draw of the systems is designed to be minimal to extend battery life. When the batteries are exhausted the sensors are either serviced (at very high cost) or abandoned (limiting mission capability). The Hydrovolts turbines are able to harvest renewable power from slow water currents such as those found in the deep ocean or around ports. This power can charge batteries on sensors. Hydrovolts potential for this already is recognized in MOUs signed with Woods Hole oceanographic Institution and with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. The work performed on this RIF project will help advance the use of turbines for remote sensor power. Page 7 of 7