Remote water monitoring works…until power runs out
Grupo Hidráulica is a Peruvian industrial group specialised in hydraulic solutions, including pipes, valves, fittings, and thermoplastic systems for sectors such as mining, agriculture, construction, and industry.
In other words, they supply equipment for moving water, gases, and other fluids through industrial systems.
Among their clients, Grupo Hidráulica counts a large number of water network operators keen on improving the efficiency of the following services:
- Deliver drinking water to homes and businesses
- Manage wastewater and sewage systems
- Maintain water infrastructure & detect leaks and failures
- Ensure stable water pressure and water quality.
Many water network operators manage infrastructure located in remote or hard-to-access areas, where electricity is unstable or unavailable.
Yet, the systems used to monitor water flows, measure pressure, detect leaks, or remotely control equipment still need a constant power supply to function properly.
The current workaround is to rely on batteries or additional power infrastructure.
But, when it comes, for instance, to batteries:
- They need regular replacement or recharging
- Their performance degrades over time, especially in heat, humidity, or cold
- Maintenance teams may need to travel long distances just to service them
All in all, this results in higher operating costs and a greater risk of power failure.
And if the power supply ever fails, operators may temporarily lose visibility into what is happening in their water network.
An energy solution hidden inside the pipeline itself
Advanced Microturbines is an Italian startup that develops small turbines installed directly within water or gas pipelines.
These microturbines generate electricity (up to 200W per microturbine) from the natural pressure of the water or gas flowing through the pipelines. Similar to an old-fashioned water turbine…but miniaturised.
200W may not seem like much (roughly the energy needed to run a small refrigerator). But it is more than enough for low-power industrial monitoring systems, sensors, and communication equipment, such as the ones provided by Grupo Hidráulica.
The beauty of the turbines is that they are designed to:
- Work autonomously in remote areas
- Be installed inside existing infrastructure with limited modifications (thanks to IoT readiness and plug-and-play installation)
- …And operate continuously as long as water or gas keeps flowing through the pipe.
In simple terms, Advanced Microturbines transforms the pipeline itself into an energy source capable of powering the digital infrastructure provided by Grupo Hidráulica and monitoring the network.
From technical validation to funding strategy: the support brought by the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator
- Service n°1: Roadmapping & Mentoring
This service supported Grupo Hidráulica and Advanced Microturbines in structuring their proof of concept through a tailored collaboration roadmap.
The service helped both partners align on the PoC’s objectives, expected results, KPIs, milestones, timeline, key risks, mitigation actions, confidentiality considerations and scalability potential. It translated the technical ambition of testing the microturbine in an operational water-network context into a clear and actionable pilot roadmap.
The service also included structured mentoring moments, including coordination meetings with the mentor, individual preparation sessions with both the corporate and the startup, a joint kick-off session, and a final mentoring session to review progress, results and possible next steps.
- Service n°2: Open Innovation Bootcamp
The Open Innovation Bootcamp gave Grupo Hidráulica and Advanced Microturbines a one-day intensive training focused on improving corporate-startup collaboration through open innovation and corporate venturing methods.
It helped both partners better understand how to move from an initial innovation opportunity towards a more structured and scalable partnership.
Participants worked on topics such as:
- stakeholder alignment,
- value proposition design,
- collaboration models,
- ecosystem integration,
- lessons learned from EU-LAC proof-of-concept projects.
- Service n°3: Access to Public Funding
Access to funding will help the partnership translate a successful PoC into a financially viable scale-up plan for deployment across multiple water network sites.
In practical terms, it will map which EU-level grants and innovation programmes could support the industrialisation and wider rollout of the microturbine solution.
Beyond the pilot: what both Hidráulica and Advanced Microturbines will achieve
| 🚰GRUPO HIDRÁULICA (Corporate) |
⚡ADVANCED MICROTURBINES |
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