EEL Energy has been selected to join Dassault Systèmes’ (3DS) accelerator program for startups, known as 3DEXPERIENCE Lab, to further advance its tidal energy technology.
French-based tidal energy developer EEL Energy will use the 3D modelling know-how provided by the software company 3DS to accelerate the development of its tidal energy device based on undulating membrane concept.
Grégoire de Laval , Development Director of EEL Energy, said: “As EEL Energy, we are very proud to be selected to join the join Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Lab. Sharing experiences with other start-ups and leveraging on 3DS unique know-how in 3D modelling will be of a great help to support and accelerate our design and test project phases.”
EEL tidal energy converter consists of a membrane that optimizes energy transfer by coupling fluid flow with an undulating structure. The membrane undulates under moving fluid pressure, and this periodic motion is transformed into electricity by an electromechanical system.
The energy is converted along the whole length of the rubber membrane surface.
EEL Energy is currently conducting tests on a 1:6 scale prototype in a flume tank at the French research institute IFREMER.
Late in 2016, EEL Energy received financial backing from the French government in the amount of €3.7 million for the development of its tidal technology.