The Energy Canvas with Celtic Dynamics
Hydrokinetic Energy: Unlocking River Power
Published: 1 June 2026 at 05:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
The shift towards a secure, decarbonised energy system demands highly predictable, local power sources to complement intermittent wind and solar generation. This need has brought new attention to overlooked renewable resources.
Discover how free-flowing water can provide constant, reliable electricity through a decentralised system. The discussion covers GKinetic’s patented, slow-turning turbines, their key role in energy security, and the challenging regulatory hurdles facing this promising new technology.
We are joined by Gary Brennan, Chief Technology Officer of GKinetic Energy, who is pioneering the development of turbine systems that harness clean, renewable energy from rivers and tidal flow.
Things We Spoke About
Hydrokinetic turbines use free-flowing water
Floating turbine model and design adaptations
Hydrokinetic energy provides predictable base load
Patented slow-turning turbine system prevents fatigue
Creating modular river energy communities
GUEST DETAILS
Gary Brennan is CTO at GKinetic Energy Ltd., a Limerick based developer of unique hydrokinetic water turbines that generate clean, reliable electricity from free-flowing water with no dams or diversion.
Gary started his career in Architectural Technology, running his own company for 8 years before his interest in climate change, renewable energy systems and energy conservation led him to study Energy Systems & Mechanical Engineering.
He leads the technical design & development of the company's low impact hydrokinetic turbine systems, manages regulatory consenting, and site resource assessment. The modular floating 2kW & 12kW units enable users to harness a reliable and steady source of clean baseload energy from rivers or tidal estuaries.
Contact Gary:
Website: www.gkinetic.com
Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gkinetic-energy-ltd/posts/?feedView=all
MORE INFORMATION
About The Energy Canvas Podcast
The Energy Canvas is brought to you by Celtic Dynamics, exploring the intersection of engineering innovation, sustainability, and business success in Ireland's evolving energy landscape. Each episode features conversations with industry leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs driving real climate action and decarbonisation solutions.
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Have a question about energy systems, hydrogen technology, or want to suggest a future guest? Contact us at www.celticdynamics.com or connect with Celtic Dynamics on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/celtic-dynamics.
Produced by DustPod.io for Celtic Dynamics
This podcast is produced by DustPod.io, creating compelling audio content that drives conversation and action in the energy and sustainability sectors.
QUOTES
Your generation is very local, but it's also very predictable. - Gary Brennan
You can fairly accurately predict two days ahead what the flow on the river will be. - Gary Brennan
We've done a lot of work and simplifying the technology so that there are less things to go wrong. - Gary Brennan
KEYWORDS #HydrokineticEnergy #EnergySecurity #RenewablePower #BaseLoad #RiverTurbines
