Renewable Energy Solutions
FDE Hydro™
The Future of Hydropower in North America, Brazil and Europe
FDE Hydro™ is advancing civil water infrastructure industries in the United States and Canada by developing innovative technologies for the next-generation hydroelectric dams, modular powerhouse facilities, pumped storage hydro civil structures, reservoir and water control systems, retrofit of existing high hazard dams and modular aquatic animal passage systems.
FDE Hydro™ introduces modular precast concrete scalable technology means and methods for construction & retrofit of hydro and water control systems.
The “French Dam” is a patented next generation Precast Modular Construction and Retrofit technology for building new and refurbishment of existing small and medium head hydroelectric and water control dams.
FDE Hydro™ has patents in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and European Countries.
French Dam
One of the Top Hydro Innovations & New Technologies
Use of modular precast elements to build hydropower facilities and dams can reduce the cost of this work by half, says FDE Hydro™. Physical civil construction is the largest single component of new hydropower development cost, from 40% to 90% of total capital cost depending on the project size.
To address this situation, FDE Hydro™ has developed a technology, called the French Dam, that is based on modular components manufactured in a controlled environment. These modules can be secured to the riverbed using underpinning and interconnected with adjacent modules to complete a dam. The French Dam is considered by civil engineers and hydro industry experts as a disruptive technology due to the fact that it changes the project financial dynamics and reduces major risk to all Stakeholders.
U.S. Department of Energy Success Story
Innovative “French Dam” Cuts Cost and Construction Time
With Energy Department support, FDE Hydro™, GEI Consultants, and Oldcastle Precast announced the successful construction of the first prototype of a “French Dam.” The prototype technology uses modular design—a term for structures that use multiple standardized components that integrate easily— to significantly cut construction time and cost.
