A Cumbria-based engineering firm has won a renewable-energy award for its highly efficient flat-pack water-wheel concept, which can generate up to 6kW of electricity from a continuous water flow of 200 litres per sec.

Designed and made by Smith Engineering, the waterwheel won the only award of the day at a Knowledge Exchange Workshop held at Energus in Workington by the Renewable Energy Test & Education Centre (RETEC). It secured votes for its ‘Journey to Commercialisation’, with the first installation being the Langdale Water-wheel project at a Lake district hotel, where it delivers a steady 6kW of electricity 24/7.

RETEC, which supports research into innovative low-carbon energy technologies, funded the water-wheel project. Sandra Booth, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cumbria, said:“One of the aims of RETEC is to progress prototypes and help bring them to market. The water-wheel project is an excellent example of how this has been achieved, especially now that Smith Engineering has been voted the clear winner of this award.”

This is the second award the company has received from the university. Last year, managing director Rod Smith was presented with the Special Recognition Award for Sustainability. He said: “We are delighted to receive our second award from the university.

"It means a lot to us, as it was voted for by our peers, who are all developing their own renewable-energy technologies. Water-wheels of our innovative design can be installed in remote locations with simple hand tools, and they can pay for themselves in around seven years.”