Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine Technology
MACLEC is pioneering dam-free, reservoir-free, 24×7 renewable hydropower through its commercially proven Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine Technology.
100+ MW
Projects in Execution
2.5+ Million kg
CO₂ Emissions Avoided
10000 Twh
Self identified potential in World wide
40+ Years
Design Life for Long-Term Performance
$167.8 million
Active Project Portfolio (Domestic & International)
DSIR
Department of Scientific & Industrial Research
Startupindia
Recognized
CEA
Central Electricity Authority
MNRE
Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Govt. of India
NITI Aayog
Government of India
IIT Roorkee
Research Collaboration
Ministry of Coal India
Climate Launchpad India
NASA
WWF
Conservation Partner
UNDP
Development Programme
Click any image below to watch the technology, installation process, and live project footage.
Traditional hydropower depends upon dams, reservoirs, large civil structures and significant environmental intervention. MACLEC's Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine Technology generates renewable electricity directly from the natural kinetic energy of flowing water—without altering the river, canal or waterway.
Conventional Hydro
SHKT Technology
Solar Power
Every installation delivers measurable returns—financial, operational, and environmental—from day one.
No dams, no reservoirs, no diversion channels. Install directly in existing waterways and start generating power within weeks.
Solar stops at sunset. Wind dies down. Flowing water never sleeps—delivering continuous, predictable power every hour of every day.
No land is drowned. No communities are relocated. Fish and aquatic life move freely through the turbine zone untouched.
Factory-built modules ship ready to install. Minimal on-site civil work means you start earning from power generation within a single financial year.
Begin with a single 50 kW unit and expand incrementally. Add clusters as your energy demand grows—no upfront over-investment.
Built for decades of continuous operation in harsh water environments. Low wear parts mean minimal downtime and maintenance costs.
One technology fits irrigation canals, hydropower tailraces, thermal cooling channels, tidal ports and pumped-storage systems.
Every component is fully recyclable. Even after the 40-year design life, you recover 35–40% of material value. True circular economy energy.
At just $0.03–$0.04 (3–4 cents) per kWh, SHKT delivers power cheaper than diesel, gas, and even grid parity solar-wind hybrids with storage.
MACLEC's Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine technology enables clean, continuous and scalable electricity generation from naturally flowing or man-made water streams without dams, reservoirs, diversion structures or major civil construction.
Round-the-clock renewable energy from existing canal networks spanning thousands of kilometres.
Enhancing generation from tail race and head race channels without altering existing plant design.
Recovering energy from cooling water discharge channels—an untapped industrial energy resource.
Decentralised clean power for rural, defence and remote areas without dams or penstocks.
Hydrokinetic opportunities from tidal flows, marine currents and port water movement.
SHK-PSP for long-duration renewable energy storage where conventional PSP is not feasible.
Over the past decade, MACLEC's Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine Technology has progressed from a pioneering research concept into a commercially deployable renewable energy solution recognized by government agencies, regulatory authorities, research institutions and international organizations.
Inaugurated 7 August 2026 by the Hon'ble Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Ministry of Power, Government of India. MACLEC has developed a dedicated, first-of-its-kind double-loop, recirculating hydrokinetic test channel at its New Delhi headquarters to accelerate scientific validation, engineering optimisation, demonstration and commercial deployment of Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine technology. The facility brings flow velocity, depth, turbulence, submergence, blockage, mounting, rotor geometry, generator load control, debris and sediment conditions into a controlled, measurable and visible laboratory environment.
Recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India as a Research & Development Institution.
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy's Small Hydro Power Division issued an Office Memorandum (File No. 19/28/2024-SHP, dated 09.12.2024) forwarding the Central Electricity Authority's recognition of Surface Hydrokinetic Turbine (SHKT) technology under the Hydro Category, directing all State Implementing Agencies and Departments responsible for Small Hydro Power development to consider it for necessary action.
January 2024 — CEA reviewed MACLEC's upgraded field data and design changes against the 2021 Committee Report. The 3×5 kW HKT installation at Ramnagar, Uttarakhand has operated across the full range of expected conditions for two years. Consequently, TRL has been upgraded from 6–7 to Level 9. The letter also confirms replicability across canals, rivers, streams, cooling water channels, tidal rivers, and ocean sites subject to site-specific feasibility.
In a landmark directive dated 20 November 2024, the Central Electricity Authority formally ruled that Surface Hydro Kinetic Turbine Technology shall be considered under the Hydro category. The decision follows MACLEC's formal request (Letter MTPL/24/671, 28.10.2024) and a comprehensive review of the CEA Committee Report (October 2021), the TRL-9 field validation of the 3×5 kW Ramnagar installation (CEA Letter 10/3/HETD/2024, 04.01.2024), and global literature on hydrokinetic deployments. The memorandum establishes that HKT systems — whether operating at kilowatt or megawatt scale — currently fall within the Small Hydro classification (up to 25 MW), while explicitly preserving their place within the broader Hydro category as technology and capacity evolve.
August 2021 — Following a video conferencing meeting on 03.08.2021 under the chairmanship of Secretary (Power), CEA issued an Office Memorandum constituting a Committee headed by Member (Hydro), CEA to study the concept and commercial applications of Hydro Kinetic Turbines developed by MACLEC. The Committee comprised representatives from CEA, MNRE, NHPC, THDC, and IIT Roorkee, with a mandate to submit its report within 45 days.
A Committee headed by Member (Hydro), CEA — comprising representatives from CEA, MNRE, NHPC, THDCIL and IIT Roorkee — studied the concept and commercial applications of MACLEC's Surface Hydro Kinetic Turbine. Five meetings were held with presentations from MACLEC, GKinetic Energy (Ireland) and Imp Powers. The report covers technology concept, potential assessment, cost analysis, tariff framework and a roadmap for pilot installations.
12 Nov 2021 — The Ministry of Power directed all central power utilities (NTPC, NHPC, THDCIL, SJVNL, NEEPCO, BBMB) to take up technology demonstration projects of Hydro Kinetic Turbines developed by MACLEC. The directive follows the CEA Committee report headed by Member (Hydro) and requests CPSUs to install suitable capacities across varying operating environments to promote R&D.
Maclec Technical Project Laboratory was awarded First Prize in the Air Management Category at the Swachh Bharat Grand Program 2018, under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, recognizing an early innovation that absorbed vehicular pollutants and compressed the surrounding air for electric power production.
May 2015 — Dr. R.P. Saini at AHEC, IIT Roorkee conducted independent field testing of MACLEC's VARUN-I (undershot water wheel) and VARUN-III (conical spiral) hydrokinetic turbines at the Ramganga Dam tail race channel, Kalagarh. VARUN-I achieved 126 W at 1.2 m/s water velocity; VARUN-III achieved 132 W at 1.3 m/s — validating early turbine performance in live flow conditions.
Dr. R.P. Saini, MNRE Chair Professor (Dept. of Hydro & Renewable Energy), confirmed in a Sept 2020 letter that MACLEC is the industry partner in a UJVN-sponsored R&D project to develop the 100 kW VARUN-III surface hydrokinetic turbine. The prototype was tested on the Upper Ganga Canal, and the letter validates the novelty of MACLEC's partial-submergence approach for harnessing surface water velocity.
MACLEC's pioneering work in hydrokinetic energy has been acknowledged and showcased by leading international innovation platforms, government agencies and sustainability initiatives worldwide.
"Innovation Alone Does Not Create Impact. Validation Creates Trust."