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Research and innovation

Zero power water monitoring horizon prize

What the prize was, why it was needed, rules, who to contact, latest news

The winner is announced

The competition received 20 applications from all over Europe and beyond. Five of them were shortlisted by a panel of international experts. After demonstrations and hearings, the jury decided to give the award to Fenix Hub, the solution submitted by Aqua Robur, a young company originating from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Fenix Hub is an all-in-one, zero-power, wireless, real-time sensor and data communication platform for smart water monitoring that is deployable anywhere. Each hub is independently placed throughout the water network and operates autonomously, while interconnected wirelessly and configured remotely.

Its primary application is to detect and reduce leakage through flow and pressure monitoring. But the platform is modular and extensible in design to manage a variety of parameters, such as water temperature and quality. It is compatible with a variety of sensors for multiple monitoring applications. Simply put, the customer can add the sensors that fit their needs, place them where they want in the network, and act on the information collected.

Fenix Hub can be placed anywhere in the pipeline network, independent from access to the electricity grid and fibre optics. It can operate in diverse environments and is built for durability and reliability.

The award ceremony took place at Startup Europe Summit 2019 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on 21 March, in the presence of Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society.

Read the announcement of the winner

Why this prize

The Climate change, water scarcity, the growing world population, the mainly increased urbanization are several of the factors driving global challenges for water management. Wireless sensor using harvesting technologies and Decision Support System for Water management monitoring are already available. But there is a need to put together wireless sensors using self-powered technologies and demonstrate the positive impact on energy consumption in acquiring, monitoring, communicating and analysing information about water resources.

By stimulating efforts at European level this Horizon Prize will empower the Water distributors with solutions based on self-powered wireless sensor network platform, designed for real-time monitoring of water resources.

This Horizon Prize is expected to stimulate creative thinking across established water distributors, water management equipment suppliers, ICT sector and industrial and academic research organisations. The results will be breakthrough solutions that can drive the European industry forward by promoting transition of ICT technologies in water sector from pilot scale to wide market uptake to end up with the creation of a European borderless Digital Single Market for water services.

Challenge

The winning solution is expected to put together wireless sensors using harvesting technologies and demonstrate positive impact in integrated Decision Support Systems for sustainable water resources management in natural or man-made environments.

Additionally, on top of the three cumulative award criteria "Positive impact", "Reliability" and Innovative design", it is requested to improve the efficiency of existing and possible new monitoring parameters, coupled with an interoperable solution, easy to deploy.

Schedule

The call for submission run from 19 December 2017 until 11 September 2018.

Rules and guidance

On the basis of the evaluation by the jury, the Commission will decide on the award of the prize. All participants will be informed at the end of January 2019 on the outcome of their application.

Read the detailed rules of the contest

Contact

For more information or any questions you might have please cnect-zeropoweratec [dot] europa [dot] eu (contact us)