ORPC partners with Shell to initiate modular RivGen power system demo in Lower Mississippi

Marine renewable energy developer ORPC has signed a contract with Shell Technology – Marine Renewable Program to initiate a modular RivGen power system demonstration project in the Lower Mississippi River.

Mississippi River. Courtesy of ORPC

ORPC said that the collaborative project represents an opportunity to showcase how the next generation of its proven hydrokinetic technology can provide highly predictable baseload electricity to help decarbonize onshore assets.

As explained, once deployed, the system can potentially support the electrification of Shell facilities, including providing power to EV chargers and supporting alternative fuels production.

The company is initiating the demonstration project building on the previous work completed by ORPC for Shell where a feasibility study was conducted in November 2022 to help identify mutually beneficial applications of ORPC technology by Shell and assess the business case for pursuing pilot projects to demonstrate their use in the field.

The report identified three priority use cases where ORPC power systems could contribute toward decarbonizing Shell’s existing operations, the first of which is to provide power for Shell’s onshore facilities.

In early April, ORPC technicians travelled to multiple Shell sites in Louisiana and with support from Louisiana State University, they assessed each location’s viability to support the production of hydrokinetic power generation.

Resource characterization at the sites is ongoing, along with stakeholder engagement. This most recent award will focus on acceleration towards a demonstration project including the selection of a suitable site(s) as well as associated permitting and applications engineering, ORPC noted.

The modular RivGen device uses the proven cross-flow turbine technology of ORPC’s commercially-available RivGen Power System, optimized for lower velocity sites and reduced cost. The product is being developed at ORPC’s river test site in Millinocket, Maine with financial assistance from the Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.

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The system can be stacked vertically or placed side-by-side to integrate into existing or new works, including infrastructure modernization and EV charging stations, making it a versatile option to support Shell’s goal of increased renewable energy adoption.

“ORPC welcomes the opportunity to partner with Shell to demonstrate the Modular RivGen System in the Lower Mississippi River region,” said ORPC CEO Stuart Davies.

“With its ease of transport, installation, and adaptability to different sites and industrial uses, the Modular RivGen System can be scaled into large arrays and replicated in rivers globally.  Once deployed, these arrays can provide a highly-predictable baseload renewable energy resource that can serve as the foundation of a fully-renewable energy grid in the future.  We look forward to showcasing its capabilities in partnership with Shell.”

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