This week, the H-HOPE project is at the EGU General Assembly 2026 in Vienna to present new research on how material selection can influence the performance and sustainability of vortex-induced vibration energy harvesting in real water systems.
The presentation, titled “Material Selection for Vortex-Induced Vibration Energy Harvesting in Water Systems: Environmental and Performance Insights from the Verona Case Study in Italy,” is authored by M. Siviero, B. Guðlaugsson, F. Nascimben, D.C. Finger, A. Benato, and G. Cavazzini, with contributions from the University of Padova, 45 Engineering, and Reykjavik University.
Many existing water systems contain untapped energy potential. In pipelines, open channels, wastewater systems, and other hydraulic infrastructures, low-speed flows are often unsuitable for conventional hydropower technologies. H-HOPE is exploring a different pathway: recovering energy through Vortex-Induced Vibration Energy Harvesters, or VIV-EH.
These systems use the natural interaction between flowing water and an oscillating cylinder. As water flows past the cylinder, vortices form and generate vibrations. These vibrations can then be converted into useful energy, creating an opportunity to power sensors, monitoring systems, and other low-power applications in water infrastructure.
A key message from the Verona case study is that the material used for the oscillating cylinder is not a secondary design choice. It is one of the most important parameters governing system performance.
The research shows that material selection directly affects the inertia of the cylinder, which in turn influences synchronization with the water flow, oscillation amplitude, lock-in behaviour, and final energy yield. In practical terms, choosing the right material can significantly change how much energy a VIV harvester can recover over time.
The novelty of this work lies in connecting material properties with annual energy performance in a real-world water-system case study. To support this comparison, the study introduces and applies a System Equivalent Density approach, together with Relative Percentage Difference analysis, to compare the performance of different materials under equivalent operating conditions.
The results highlight a clear performance gap between low-density composites and high-density metals.
Lightweight composite materials, including CFRP and glass fibre epoxy, can deliver higher energy output, with annual energy production reaching up to approximately twice that of structural metals in the analysed case.
At the same time, the study also considers the industrial perspective. While composites show strong performance potential, aluminium alloys emerge as a promising compromise between energy yield and practical feasibility, delivering approximately 780 kWh per year in the case-study conditions while remaining attractive from a manufacturing and deployment standpoint.
This balance between performance, durability, cost, and industrial readiness is essential for moving energy harvesting systems from research to real-world implementation.
The study uses a 1-D dynamic model, based on a lumped-parameter mass-spring-damper representation of the oscillating cylinder response. This framework enables rapid, high-resolution screening of annual performance across different materials and flow conditions.
Such modelling is valuable because it allows researchers and engineers to evaluate material options early in the design process, before moving toward more complex testing and validation. Ongoing work will focus on experimental validation of material-specific cylinder response, helping to refine the model and strengthen its applicability to real water systems.
The main conclusion is clear: in real water systems, material-driven inertia can outweigh flow intensity in determining the energy potential of VIV harvesters.
For H-HOPE, this insight is an important step toward developing sustainable energy harvesting technologies that can recover hidden hydropower from existing water infrastructure. By improving how materials are selected, designed, and validated, the project contributes to more efficient, resilient, and decentralised renewable energy solutions for Europe’s water systems.
