Take part in the market consultation on turbines for energy recovery at drinking water reservoirs!

De Watergroep aims to be energy neutral by 2030. The company sees an opportunity to valorise the pressure with which water flows into a reservoir in Bredene from the water tower, by converting that pressure into electricity through a turbine.

Project context and objective

Within the drinking water infrastructure of De Watergroep, water is supplied at certain locations under relatively high pressure. This pressure is currently controlled via pressure reducing valves, which ensure:

• Pressure stabilisation towards the distribution network
• Controlled pressure reduction for the reservoir filling process

Although this approach is hydraulically reliable, the associated pressure energy is completely dissipated (friction, turbulence). As a result, energy is structurally lost, even though the pressure drop could theoretically be used for local energy generation.

The project aims to develop and implement an integrated system that valorises the existing pressure drop in the drinking water system through energy generation, without compromising hydraulic reliability or operational continuity for end users.

The envisioned system must, in order of priority:

• Continue to ensure upstream pressure reliability for the distribution network
• Maintain a stable and controlled reservoir filling process
• Operate safely and autonomously, with fallback to bypass mode in case of anomalies
• Energetically exploit the available pressure drop via a turbine or pump as turbine (PAT)

The challenge therefore lies in combining energy valorisation with uncompromised hydraulic reliability, all within the economic framework of the business case.
The targeted solution will combine:

• A turbine or pump as turbine (PAT)
  • Given the need for a feasible business case, cost efficient and robust technologies (such as PAT solutions) are expected to play a major role, although alternatives are not excluded
• A well designed hydraulic configuration (turbine line, bypass, valves)
• A minimal yet robust measurement and control architecture
• An intelligent control strategy that manages pressure, flow rate and energy generation coherently

PIO, De Watergroep and Verhaert are organising a market consultation as preparation for a procurement procedure aimed at the purchase, integration and validation of a pilot project for the intended solution.

Objective of the market consultation

The consultation aims to:

• Align the needs and boundary conditions of De Watergroep with what is currently (fully or partially) available on the market
• Gain insights into how market parties approach the combination of turbine selection, measurement & control hardware and control strategies
• Gather input to ensure that the later procurement documents are accurate, proportional and market conform

The insights from this consultation will be used during the preparation of a Pilot Procurement. The open market consultation consists of three components:

1. Plenary introduction to the challenge

   Concise introduction to the current situation, user needs and system requirements, followed by an interactive group discussion on the identified use cases and any missing or additional points of attention.

2. Thematic group discussion
   1. Structured discussion of:Turbine and PAT selection within a realistic Q–Δp operating range
   2. Minimal measurement and control hardware (I/O architecture)
   3. Control strategy and software architecture (basic control, mode management, safety/fallback)
       

3. Explanation of the intended assignment

   Presentation of the indicative scope of the future Pilot Assignment, followed by an interactive group discussion.

Preparation

Registered participants will receive:

• A technical 2 pager with a concise summary of the context, user needs and system requirements, to introduce the topic and keep the plenary explanation focused during the consultation.

After the market consultation, participating market parties may register for a one on one meeting.

Target audience

De Watergroep invites companies, research centres and knowledge institutions with expertise in areas such as:

• Turbines and pump as turbine (PAT) applications
• Hydraulic system integration in drinking water networks
• Measurement and control hardware (OT, PLC/SCADA)
• Control engineering, software architecture and safety
• Pilot development and validation in operational environments

Organisations with market ready solutions as well as those with solutions under development are welcome, both within and outside the traditional water sector.

It is recommended that your organisation be represented by a staff member with technical or industrial expertise rather than a sales or marketing profile.

Where and when?

The market consultation will take place on Thursday 19 March 2026, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., online via MS Teams.

Participation is free, but registration is required.

The consultation will be held in English if international participants attend.